Accidentally Alone
by Marla's Lost
Summary: Eric Forman is a 33 year old college professor who has just survived a horrendous automobile accident. In the aftermath that follows, how does a single man take care of himself and his parents former home - alone? * * * Rated T for language and maybe some smut
1. Chapter 1 The Accident

**Chapter 01** – The Accident

"Well, my folks said live in it or sell it and now that schools out for summer vacation, I guess I'll see what kind of condition it's in." Eric Forman looked out the window as they just passed the Welcome to Point Place sign.

"Of course you know, I wouldn't be kicking you out except Nancy is moving in and well, it wouldn't look too good if my roommate and fiancee were in the same apartment."

"Hey Greg, it's no problem. I already forwarded my mail and the moving company will be there tomorrow to ship everything to my folk's house. I'm just fortunate Nancy said she's marrying you after school ended."

"Well, Eric you know you can always come over for dinner and we'll see each other in September when classes start again."

Eric smiled at his friend. "It's okay. I'm 33 years old; I think can take care of a house and….." Suddenly there was a loud horn and a screech of metal with the accompanying smell of hot tires scraping the pavement. Eric had seen the truck out of the corner of his eye before it plowed into the passenger door pushing Greg's Thunderbird off the highway and into the ditch. Eric remembered covering his face with his right arm as he turned away from glitter of the exploding windshield. There was an acute pain in his leg and pressure on his chest as the car rolled over to a stop upside down. Eric passed out.

"Mr. Forman, can you hear me?" Eric could hear someone speaking but it sounded like they were talking underwater. Something was around his neck and he felt pinned down. With great difficulty he tried to open his eyes and there was an extreme pain on the left side of his face. He groaned and the underwater voice said, "Mr. Forman, you've been in a car accident, if you can hear me squeeze your right hand."

Eric felt fingers and he squeezed the hand. The pain in his right leg was horrendous – someone was taping his left eye shut and he tried to lift his head but the neck brace held him to the backboard. Eric's throat was raspy. "Greg…"

The paramedic leaned down, "Your friend is going to be okay. We're taking you to the hospital-lie still while we lift you to a stretcher." Eric felt weightless for a moment and then he was slid into the back of an ambulance where he passed out again.

*


	2. Chapter 2 I'm Wrecked

**Author Note: **_Welcome back – as you will notice, Eric is very much alone these days….have pity!_

**Chapter 02 -** I'm Wrecked

"_Mr. Forman, you've been in a car accident, if you can hear me squeeze your right hand."_

The room filled with sunlight as the nurse opened the vertical blinds. She picked up the medical chart that was sitting on the end of the bed. "I see you are awake. How are you today Mr. Forman?" She came around and wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his upper arm and stuck a thermometer in his mouth. He could feel the cuff filling with air; squeezing his bicep as the nurse hummed a little tune and placed the stethoscope against his elbow. She turned the release valve and the air rushed out of the cuff as she removed the thermometer. "No fever so that's good!"

Eric struggled to keep his eyes open and found that everything in his body ached and hurt immensely. "Wha – what happened?" he managed to whisper. The nurse clucked her tongue. "Mr. Forman, you were in a severe car accident. You have a broken tibia, oh my, the bone actually pierced the skin. That's not good. You've broken your left arm and they removed glass from your left eye. You're probably not feeling too good right now so I'll go get your doctor and something for the pain."

Eric moaned and reached out to see what wasn't broke. His right arm was functional – that was good. He couldn't move his right leg but his left leg seemed okay. The left arm was wrapped tight in sling and just ached immensely. _Glass in his eye?_ He touched his face and felt bandages and something was covering his left eye, some kind of a patch. His chest felt like someone used it for a punching bag. He closed his good eye and felt a tear slide down his cheek.

*

His eyelid was held open and a bright light was piercing the darkness. "Good, no blood indicating no brain damage." A gruff but friendly voice dictated medical terms to someone nearby. "Eric Forman, I'm Dr. Bradley. Your mother used to be my head nurse so we're going to take good care of you. You've been in a serious car accident and we don't know how to reach your parents. Is there someone you'd like to call?"

Eric couldn't think of anyone except for Greg and he was in the accident too. "My folks are somewhere in Florida I think. Dad had a stroke." He rasped. Dr. Bradley lifted the eye patch to examine the damage. "Your left eye has been injured, we took out some glass and part of your cornea was scratched. We're going to leave the patch on for awhile so the eye can heal, but there is a lot of bruising around your eye socket so you won't be looking too pretty for awhile." The doctor chuckled at his own joke.

"We're going to set you up with something for pain and once you are stable, we'll start you on some physical therapy. If you can think of anyone you want to call, let the nurse know. You'll need a ride home in a few days."

Eric was tired. He tried to comprehend everything the doctor said and honestly didn't know anyone that would be there for him when the hospital released him. This was NOT the way to start the first day of summer vacation!

*

By Eric's third day in the hospital he was more conscious and could stay awake for longer periods of time. He learned that the shin bone of his right leg, the tibia, snapped and broke through the skin. The emergency room doctors spent two and a half hours removing the broken pieces of bone and inserted a metal screw to mend the two ends of his leg back together. Eric joked weakly that he was now bionic.

Dr. Bradley told him he was lucky that the arm was a clean break and would heal better than if it was fractured. The eye patch would be removed later but Eric's vision was still kind of bleary – an ophthalmologist would stop in to check out his vision. The right leg was casted from the bottom of his foot up to his kneecap. He was able to bend the knee but the cast weighed a ton and tired him out.

Sometime after lunch, he had a visitor. Eric pressed the button on the bed that raised him up to a recline position. "Greg – hey man. Good to see you…with my one good eye." Eric joked feebly. Greg, his co-worker and ex-roommate wheeled himself over to Eric's bed. "Jeez Eric, you got messed up. I wanted you to know that my insurance company is going to help pay for your injuries and I have a pending lawsuit against that drunk driver."

"Hey Greg – since you are pretty much more mobile than me, can I ask a favor?"

"Sure man what do ya need?"

"Can you go to my folk's house and bring back my mom's address book? It's in the kitchen by the phone? I gotta call some people and I don't have my aunt's number."

Greg grinned. "Yeah, sure – I get to leave with a crutch…this wheelchair is a hospital precaution. They don't want me to break more than my ankle. I'm sorry you got so messed up man. But by the time school starts you should be as good as new."

Eric wanted to disagree but tried to smile anyways. "You remember where my mom hides the house key?"

Greg nodded. "I'll be back later with the phone book. You need anything else?"

Eric shook his head. "Just get me some really good painkillers man." Greg laughed and promised to be back soon. Eric lowered the bed and closed his eyes. Who could he possibly call in his condition?

*

True to his word, Greg brought back Kitty's phone book and the business card to his attorney. Eric didn't really care about the lawsuit; he just wanted to stop hurting. Later in the day he was visited by the hospital physical therapist who detailed what they would do together to start his recovery and get him back on his proverbial feet. It sounded painful.

Eric waited until after dinner was served before he started making phone calls. What was he going to say when he found someone_? Hey, I've been in a car accident and I need a nurse? Can you come out and stay with me?_ Nah sounded too pansy as Red Forman would have said. What about_ – it's Eric, got a couple of months where you'd like to hang out in Point Place while I mend back to a normal person?_ How pathetic. Truthfully, he didn't know what to say because he didn't have any close friends anymore.

Still, he opened his mom's phonebook to the "ABC" page. There was Mr. Anderson whose cat always messed on Red's lawn - The cat that _mysteriously_ disappeared a few years ago. He didn't recognize any of the B or C names. He kept turning pages which were written in the pretty Kitty Forman handwriting and found Steven Hyde in New York. Shit. There was no way Hyde would come all the way out to Point Place. Still…..

Eric dialed the long distance number and waited through three rings and then an answering machine picked up. "Yeah, this is Hyde, I'm not home right now… leave a message or don't…I don't give a damn." Eric hung up – he was already depressed, why add an irritated Hyde to the situation?

The next number he recognized was Kelso's and he was in Chicago. That wasn't too far away! He dialed the Illinois number and a young teenage voice picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, this is Eric Forman, who is this?"

"This is Betsy Kelso. Who are you?"

"Betsy, this is your Uncle Eric from Point Place. Remember Red and Kitty? Is your mom or dad there?" Thirteen year old Betsy hollered for her parents. "Hello Eric? This is Brooke – hey we haven't heard from you in a long time, what's up?"

Eric explained about his dad's stroke and the subsequent move to Florida and then his own car accident three days ago. "God, Eric that's too bad. Michael and I could come visit you but we can't stay any length of time. Betsy has summer school and Michael's training for Watch Commander at the station."

Eric closed his eyes. "Well, maybe you guys could come up one weekend? We'll get take out and just visit. It has been a long time and I'd like to catch up."

"Eric, why don't you call Jackie or Fez? They live in Kenosha and that's pretty close by. I'm sure they would be glad to help. I don't know Fez's number but call information – it's the Fancy Ladies' Salon on Tate Street. "

"Okay, thanks Brooke I appreciate the advice and taking the time to talk to me."

"Okay Eric, get better soon and don't be such a stranger!" Eric hung up the phone and sighed. He hadn't seen many of his old friends in over 12 years – why should any of them want to help an invalid after all this time?

Next in the book was Donna ex-Forman Pinciotti. His one year failed marriage. That was a closed chapter in his life and he knew in his gut that if he called for help she would slam the phone and change her number. Who was left? Fez the Candy Connoisseur or the Spawn of Satan – Eric groaned with misery this time instead of pain. He'd call tomorrow after breakfast. He still two days to find a ride home.

*

His fourth day in the hospital was most likely more painful than the actual car accident. His Physical Therapist looked like Eva Braun and when she hauled him out bed and dumped him in the wheelchair he swore she WAS Eva Braun!

He was wheeled to the PT room and unceremoniously lifted to his feet, balancing on his good left leg. An assistant therapist put a crutch under his armpit and made some adjustments.

"Mr. Forman," Eva said in her nasally commanding voice, "Today we are going to teach you mobility. You will need to be able to get around doing such daily things as dressing yourself, using the lavatory, going up and down stairs etcetera. You may use the wheelchair for those times when you are going to be standing for longer periods of time. You mustn't put any weight on your leg so pay close attention or you will return to me after your NEXT surgery and I do not think you want that – do you?"

Eric gulped. "No ma'am." He suffered through an hour with Eva and when he got back to his room he hurt in places he didn't know existed. He changed his mind; Eva was the spawn of Satan not Jackie Burkhart. He decided to call Fez.

After dialing information, he was connected with the salon. He heard the familiar voice of his old friend. "Welcome to Fancy Ladies' – you are talking to Fez who will make you feel fabulous!"

Eric smiled – Fez was forever a ladies man. "Hey buddy, it's Eric Forman."

"Aiiy! Eric my friend! Where have you been? Fez has not heard from you in too many years! You come back from Africa and disappear? Where are you?"

"Fez, I'm in the hospital man, I was hoping you could come visit." Eric crossed his fingers. _Say yes!_ There was some commotion on the other end of the line before Fez answered.

"Eric, I have to wait until Jackie gets back with the van. What are visiting hours?"

Eric really didn't know but he would find out. "Hey Fez, you don't have to bring Jackie do you?"

Fez laughed, "Of course I do. You're her friend too, if you're in the hospital she'll want to see you. Just because we haven't seen you in 13 years does not make you any less our friend!"

Eric didn't want to deal with the crying spoiled basement drama princess – he could cry enough tears for three people at that moment. Wait… what were Fez and Jackie doing together? Were they a couple? He remembered hearing a rumor that they were _more_ than roommates at one time. Was it true?

"Hey Fez, I'm sorry I'd love to see you and Jackie. Any chance you could come by tonight?"

"Sure – do you want me to bring you some candy?" Eric had to laugh at his friend's request. After all this time the guy was still nuts about candy.

"Fez, I would love some chocolate right now."

"Okay Eric, we'll see you later!" Eric listened as Fez hung up and set the telephone back in the cradle. It would be nice to see a couple of people from the old gang. It was better than no one at all!

*

**A/N:** _No disrespect intended for Eva Braun and I'm not a medical doctor or nurse or physical therapist. I'm winging it for fictions sake…._


	3. Chapter 3 You Can't Go Home Again

**Author Note: **_Please remember that if Eric is a jerk – he's been through an accident and pain accounts for some of his …. Whatever……_

**Chapter 03 **– You Can't Go Home Again

_It would be nice to see a couple of people from the old gang. It was better than no one at all!_

Eric heard a tentative knock on his door but couldn't see because the privacy curtain was drawn. "Fez is that you?" The curtain was thrown open and a big brown hug was headed his way but Eric shouted, "No! Wait!" Fez froze and looked at his bruised and bandaged friend.

He stepped forward hesitantly. "Eric you are wearing a pirate patch. Is this a new fashion I have not heard of?"

Eric tried to laugh softly so it wouldn't hurt so much. "No, buddy, I caught some windshield in my eye. It's healing though." Fez walked around the bed looking at the leg cast which had been propped on several pillow. Eric's left arm was in a blue sling and his body was covered in bruises that extended to under the hospital gown.

"Eric what happened?" Fez placed his basket of chocolate on the metal rolling tray.

Eric raised the head of the bed. "I was in the passenger seat of my friend's car and we got hit by a drunk driver and the car rolled into a ditch." Fez was shocked. "You are lucky to be alive. I could be the guy arranging your hair at the funeral home."

"Fez, that's kind of morbid, don't you think?" Eric hadn't thought about the fact that he could have died. Fez rapped his knuckles on the plaster of the cast. "Does that hurt?"

Eric shrugged, "I'm on painkillers so I can let you know later." Fez laughed and took a marker out of his pocket. He grinned. "I always wanted to write something naughty on a broken leg."

"Fez, don't – I'll catch hell if the nurse doesn't like it!" Eric could only watch as Fez drew something and put the pen back in his pocket.

There was a commotion from the hallway and Eric heard a familiar voice from the past. "Damn you Fez… why did you have to make me to park the van? I had to park a least a mile away!" The complaining voice came around the privacy curtain. "Oh my God Eric, what happened to you?"

Jackie Burkhart, the Spawn of Satan, the devil's own daughter was standing at the foot of his bed. She covered her mouth with her hand. "Fez told me you were in the hospital but I thought you were visiting someone – thought maybe one of your parents were…. Oh my, this is awful."

Eric tried to laugh, "Thanks Jackie, you look good too." Her gaze started at his poor broken up body and ended at the patch on his eye. She walked over to the sling and adjusted the strap so it wasn't so tight. Eric must have sighed in relief. "It's like a bra strap, sometimes they dig in the shoulder a bit." She explained. She touched the bandages by his eye and Eric didn't know whether to flinch or attempt to run away, but her hands were gentle. "Does this hurt you?"

Eric swallowed, "I can't see your hands but I guess no because I'm not screaming. Would you mind handing me that cup of water?"

Fez placed the cup in Eric's good hand and waited for him to drink the water. "How long are you in here for?"

Eric placed the cup on the edge of the tray. "Their supposed to release me tomorrow but I have a problem I'm hoping you can help me with." Jackie was picking glass fragments out of his hair. "Can't they even clean you up? Look, you still have blood on your neck."

She turned around and went to the restroom. Eric heard the water running and she suddenly returned with a warm washcloth. "Jackie, you don't have to wash me." He protested. He didn't want her to hurt him anymore than he already was hurting.

"Fez, what I was saying was I need a ride to my folk's house." Fez bit off a piece of the candy. "Where are Miss Kitty and Red?"

Eric closed his eyes in part because Jackie's warm washcloth felt really good and secondly he hated thinking about his dad being sick again. "My dad had a stroke so mom and my aunt moved him to Florida. There's a retirement home in case he gets worse. I'm supposed to get the house ready to sell or live in it. They don't care."

Jackie ran the cloth over Eric's hair, "They gave you their house?"

Eric nodded his head. Thank God he didn't get whiplash! Jackie ventured to ask, "Well, if you're staying there, how are you going to get around? The bedrooms are upstairs, the laundry is in the basement and the living room has steps. You're kind of screwed."

Eric forgot all about those little details and groaned. "You're right, I forgot. I don't even know if the wheelchair can go through the doorways."

Fez snapped off some more chocolate. "Well, I can give you a ride home in my mini-van but I can't stay, I have to work at the salon."

Jackie glared at Fez. "That's _my_ van thank you very much."

"Aiiy, back off woman, you let me use it so I think that it's mine too. Jackie is so mean sometimes." Fez complained.

"Glad to know some things haven't changed." Eric replied. "So are you two married?"

Fez snorted and laughed. "Me married to her?"

Jackie snapped, "Ew and no! We run a business together. How could you possibly think that?"

Eric was sorry he said anything. "It was a rumor I heard a long time ago." Fez looked at Jackie who looked back at him. "Hyde."

Eric held up his good hand in defense, "I'm sorry. I haven't really kept in touch with everyone like a good friend should." Jackie smiled sadly, "You're not alone there. Donna moved on, Hyde took the fast plane to New York but we still hang out with Michael and Brooke." Jackie took the washcloth back to the sink.

"Hey Eric, I know you're all broken and everything, but did you hurt anything else?" Fez was dying to know.

"Like what - My kidneys or something?"

Fez lowered his voice, "No, your man parts. I heard that in tragic accidents they hide in your body."

Eric started laughing the first good laugh in a long time. It was painful but felt good at the same time. "Buddy, I think everything is working just fine. What you heard applies to really cold weather – like being naked in Alaska in December."

"Oh. Well I guess I won't travel there now. Is that still a part of America?" Eric started to laugh again. Jackie came back with the wash cloth and started wiping the dried blood off his collarbone. "This is a hospital. They should have dunked you in a bathtub and rinsed you off." She held up the rust colored cloth. "Look at this blood. Ew and ew! Where's that nurse?"

"Jackie wait! Don't call her. She's not the nicest one on staff. Please, I don't mind the blood." She looked at him like he hit his head too. "Well, if you want me to say something, just say the word."

Fez had already eaten half of Eric's chocolate. "Eric, I know how to solve your problem. Have Jackie stay with you and I'll come help on the weekends, unless I got a client."

Jackie's head popped up. "What?" Eric's eyes got big. "Are you crazy?" Fez smiled at their reactions. "Jackie, you're done with the TV tours and I got the salon and you said you wanted some downtime."

"Well downtime and being a nurse are two different things!"

Eric agreed. "Fez, if you leave me alone with her, she'll kill me. You know how she is!"

Jackie put her hands on her hips. "Oh and _how am I_ Eric Forman?" He had that deer in the headlights look. 'You know, the evil midget woman. You hurt people."

"Forman, I'm 32 years old not a teenager. Big difference - I thought you grew up when you went to Africa. Fez, would I kill anyone?"

Fez laughed, "No, but you can maim and make people cry real good!"

"Yes I can, but I wouldn't kill you. God, now it sounds like I want to do this. I guess I can work on that new product we talked about. Yeah… the Forman basement can be my laboratory!"

Fez was glad to get Jackie out of the salon. She was putting a cramp in his dating skills. "What do you think Eric? Me and Jackie will help you get better."

Eric really had no one else to help him. Resolutely he faked a smile, "Yeah team Burkhart and Fez…yay."

*

Jackie was at the nurse's station by nine that Wednesday morning. She was given a stack of orthopedic pamphlets and written prescriptions. Dr. Bradley came out to meet her and gave her a quick overview of what to expect while Eric's body was healing. "If you notice that he's getting depressed, we can prescribe something for that. Or, if you have questions, please call me. I just learned about Red Forman's stroke and I'm afraid Eric may be concerned about his dad – keep that in mind while he recovers."

Jackie's brain felt like it was filled to maximum capacity – all this hospital talk was too much! An orderly wheeled Eric to the nurse's station for his signature on some forms. She stuffed all the forms in her bag and walked over to the wheelchair. He looked so forlorn.

"So do I have to do anything special to get you in my van?"

"Jackie, I honestly don't know what happens next. I never planned on being in a car accident." Jackie walked along side the wheelchair as he was pushed towards the exit. She looked at the orderly. "I parked by the door." The orderly smiled and the electric doors slid open.

Jackie unlocked the passenger door and watched as the orderly stuck the crutches under Eric's arm and helped him balance against the open door. The wheelchair folded up and was slid into the side van door. Eric stepped on the door frame with his good leg and pushed off the ground with his crutches. When he got on the seat, he carefully swiveled around bringing his casted foot into the van.

Eric fell back against the headrest. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He didn't realize just how exerting that little exercise really was. Jackie came around and buckled him in not noticing the grimace on his face with the belt touched his previous bruises. He was going home but it wasn't really his home.

Jackie ran around and jumped in starting the engine and turning on the air conditioner. "I hope you don't mind, but it's getting pretty hot out here." Eric didn't reply so she turned on her radio and headed for the exit. Eric closed his eyes feeling the cool air on his face and the nonsensical music playing from the speakers. He would have made small talk but after last night he realized he didn't really know a whole lot about the devil and got most of his facts from old Kelso comments and complaints from Hyde.

"Eric, before I take you home, I need to stop by my apartment and pick up some stuff. Hope you don't mind."

Eric still had his eyes closed. "I'm pretty much strapped in here as your hostage so take me wherever. Just leave the A/C turned on okay?"

He must have dozed off because it seemed like minutes later the car was stopping in front of a pretty garden apartment complex. Jackie left the car key in the ignition. He opened his eyes. "Hey, lock the doors behind me with that button on your right door pad. I don't want to get carjacked with you strapped in the seat. I'll be back fast."

Eric watched as she ran around the front of the van and unlocked the door to apartment number 3. Three – he always liked that number. Red, Kitty and Eric – that made three. Three years in college and he was a professor. Fez, Jackie and Eric – that was a new three he wasn't so sure about.

She came back out the door with a duffel bag and an overnight case. She locked the apartment and came around to the passenger side of the van. Eric touched the button and the door unlocked and she slid the side door open to drop in her bags.

"If I'm sleeping over, I need some clothes and Jackie things." She explained even if he wasn't listening. Mariah Carey was singing _I'll Be There_ on the radio and Jackie hummed along as she slammed the van door closed and ran around to the driver's side. It looked like this was going to be one long day!

*


	4. Chapter 4 Empty Home

**Author Note: **_Two stubborn people butting heads – can't we all just get along? Hey, all my favorite readers are back – thanks everyone!_

**Chapter 04** – Empty Home

"_If I'm sleeping over, I need some clothes and Jackie things." It looked like this was going to be one long day!_

Jackie pulled into the Forman driveway and she was just taken aback. The house was still the same but looked like a shadow of its former self. The garden was overgrown; there were weeds in the cracks of the cement. The old Vista Cruiser was dirty and needed a good wash. Jackie parked close to the patio doors and nudged Eric's shoulder. "Hey, we're here."

He opened his eyes only to fall on the dirty windows and the enveloping emptiness that awaited him through the doors. 'It looks sad.' He said. Jackie looked out the passenger window. "Yeah, I was kind of expecting to see Mrs. Forman sitting at the table drinking coffee and smiling."

Jackie jumped out of the van and slid open the side door to set up the wheelchair. She put on the brake and opened Eric's door. "You have to help me out here because I'm not a nurse or orderly and getting you out of here is not going to be a piece of cake."

Eric spied a milk crate by the patio furniture. "Jackie, that black crate is something I can step down on that I think will help keep my cast from slamming on the ground when I land." He was joking of course but she didn't know that. She pulled the milk crate in front of the door and held the crutch while Eric maneuvered his cast out the door. He slid forward until his left leg touched the crate_. It worked!_ He balanced on the crate and the crutch and hopped to the ground.

Jackie backed up the wheelchair so he could easily sit down. "Well that wasn't too bad. " She commented. "I'm just glad I didn't have to catch you or we both would have fallen."

"Me too." He confessed. "I'd hate to break my other leg!" Jackie laughed at the attempted joke. "Okay hang on, we're gonna jump the little step." She leaned the chair back and the big wheels hopped easily over the small tread. She let Eric unlock the patio doors and he looked down. "More steps."

She smiled and leaned him back for another hop-hop and then they were in the kitchen. The emptiness of the house silenced the pair of them. Jackie whispered, "Whoa…this is like the Twilight Zone show. I'm expecting to see your Dad coming through the door calling one of us a dumbass." She parked Eric by the kitchen table and sat on a chair.

Eric could feel a thickness in his throat. "I really miss my mom. After dad had the stroke she tried so hard to stay here but the house was too big." He could feel tears filling his eyes. "I call her once a week but it's not the same. Dad can hardly talk…" Jackie came around the table and gently gathered him into a hug. "I miss your folks too. Sometimes Kitty would come to the salon for a shampoo and set and she was always bragging about you. I'd go out to visit Red in the car because beauty salons were too pansy." She laughed softly. 'You have the best parents."

Eric reached up to break her hold on his head and shoulders. He didn't need a Jackie hug right now. He wanted to be alone in his misery. She stepped back realizing she just crossed some kind of imaginary boundary. _Okay, if that's how it's going to be…. _She straightened her shoulders and got professional. "Well… then, let's see what doors this wheelchair can manage."

The door from the kitchen to the living room was a tight fit but it worked. Jackie wheeled him through the dark dusty living room. "I guess if you want to sleep upstairs your going to need a second chair to stay up there." There was a cement pony wall behind the sofa that was two steps up from the living room floor to the front door and dining room. There was no way he could answer the front door with the wheelchair. Jackie backed the chair up and went through the kitchen to the dining room. The floor was level and from the living room he could answer the front door from there.

Eric was looking at the distance from the front door to the actual living room. Jackie spoke, "We could get a ramp built…" Eric shook his head dubiously," How am I supposed to use this wheelchair with only one good arm?" He said angrily. Jackie was startled by the outburst and just left Eric sitting in the middle of the floor as she went to sit in Red's old chair.

"Eric, I'm trying to help you here. Lose the 'pity me' attitude and work with me. I suggest building a ramp and you blew me off. Do you have _any_ other friends that volunteered to help you?" She asked irritably.

Eric tried to turn his head and the wheel of the chair but ended up in the opposite direction. He used his left foot to push off the carpet and after several minutes ended up facing his dad's chair but Jackie must have left the room. _Damn!_

"Jackie – I'm sorry!" he yelled.

She came back into the living room with his crutches. "Can it Eric. I'll call Fez and see if he can cut his date short and get over here." Jackie went back into the kitchen. "Jackie, come back!"

She stuck her head through the swinging doors. "What."

He exhaled. He wasn't used to apologizing to the devil and it was his misfortune that she was the only person available to help him_. Make nice, Eric – you need her_. "Jackie, I didn't mean to complain. It's just that I'm really hurting and starving and I have to pee. Look at me, I'm a complete mess."

Jackie looked at the wheelchair bound Eric Forman. He did look sad and how did he get himself turned around with only one good arm? That's a pretty amazing feat. "Put your brakes on the chair and get your crutches and butt into the kitchen." She let the door swing shut behind her. If he was going to keep acting like an ass then she would treat him like one.

While he was either struggling or not to get in the kitchen, Jackie did a quick inventory of the cupboards and fridge. There were plenty of spices but no food. Eric was really screwed! Kitty left a couple of pots and one frying pan and there were no dishes to eat with. Well, guess what Eric? You are going on a little shopping trip with Jackie Burkhart!

She found an old notepad and started making a list of everything they were going to need to get from the store. Most likely this trip would include a visit to a discount market for some cheap dishes and cutlery. If Jackie had to live here, it was going to be clean and pretty. Oh, she could call that rent-a-maid service to get all the dust out tidy up!

Eric finally made it through the door with his crutches. "It would have been _quicker_ if you pushed the chair closer to the door."

She looked up. "It would have been quicker if you weren't acting like a _dick_." He hobbled over to an empty chair and dropped in it. At least sitting at the kitchen table and not being in that chair had some semblance of normalcy to it. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making a list. You have no food here, nothing to cook the _no food_ in and nothing to eat it with even if you had food. We're going shopping." Eric blanched. Jackie Burkhart and The Mall were synonymous with each other. "I'm not a good shopper. I can't go to the mall."

She looked at him like he was dim. "Who said anything about the mall? Eric, we are going to a grocery store. Where the food grows? We need to get some dishes and stuff if we are going to live in here."

Eric closed his eyes. Of course she was right and if she hadn't been checking for him, then he would end up calling a taxi, trying to find the stuff at the store and shit, all of this was too overwhelming!

"Can I ask a favor?"

She was biting the end of her pen. "What is it?"

He felt embarrassed to ask. "The nurse at the hospital gave me these pants to wear and the zipper is stuck and I really have to go. Do you mind? I mean those boxes in the driveway have all of my belongings including clothes."

Jackie sighed and stood up. The zipper had been pulled up to include some of the fabric and since Eric was wearing the sling, it would have been very difficult to repair. She carefully pulled the cotton fabric away from the zipper teeth and lowered it enough that he could do the rest himself. He quickly hobbled through the kitchen hallway to disappear in the small bathroom.

While Eric was taking care of some personal business, Jackie braved the 90 degree temperatures to find the box that contained some of his clothing. He couldn't stay in those borrowed pants forever. She found some threadbare towels and his toiletries.

She dragged the box by the lid through the kitchen door and set it near the table. There had to be something in there that would be easy for him to get on and get off. She heard the toilet flush and the sink run and the now familiar clacking of the crutches.

*

Jackie pulled into a spot near the entrance and told Eric to wait in the van. Moments later she came out followed by a bag boy wielding an electric wheelchair. Eric smiled broadly when he saw the power chair. Jackie unbuckled him and he swung out his leg and managed to slide out much easier this time.

The store's bag boy showed him how to use the levers and Eric was ready to go. Jackie stepped in front of the chair with the basket in front. "Hold on cowboy, before you start running down old ladies and little children, you are to only follow me. Got it?"

Eric grinned. "If this is shopping, I like it. And yeah, yeah, I'll only follow you."

Jackie stood there with her arms folded. "I'm not convinced." He looked up – Jackie looked very stubborn and he didn't know how to get around that. "Okay, I promise to be good. I won't run down women and kiddies. Come on, Jackie, I can't get hurt."

She stared at him. "Alright, but don't try running ME over either!" Eric found more joy in the next hour of grocery shopping than he had experienced in the last week. The small basket on the front of the power wheelchair was chock full of bread items, fruits and three different types of cereal. Jackie stuffed her cart with a weeks worth of food and cleaning items.

The next stop to the discount store was kind of a let down because Eric could either use his crutches or the regular chair. Jackie gave him no time to argue and as soon as they were rolling, she started putting items in his lap and they zipped quickly through the aisles. She knew what she wanted and she shopped efficiently.

Frankly, Eric was amazed at the amount of work they got done in just over three hours. He was learning to find his "legs" by getting in and out of the van unassisted while Jackie loaded the groceries. Her little_ Lose the 'pity me' attitude and work with me_ opened his mind and he decided it was easier to work with the devil than against the devil.

They arrived back to the Forman driveway by the latter part of the afternoon. Eric was able to use his crutch and pull the wheelchair out unassisted. There were no smirks or burns from Jackie as he did this without her help. Eric hobbled over and unlocked the patio doors opening them wide while Jackie brought in the perishables.

"How can I help?"

"Just stay out of my way. I think the doctor would want you to elevate your leg by now." Eric swung his crutch towards the table and sat down lifting his casted leg onto the empty chair beside him. He could only watch as Jackie brought in bag after bag of groceries by herself – every courtesy his dad taught him about helping a lady was put by the wayside because he could barely help himself.

Last to arrive in the door was the dreaded wheelchair. Jackie worked in silence as she put the canned goods away and filled a sink with hot soapy water. The new box of dishes needed to be washed and rinsed. She'd let Eric do that after he rested his leg. The refrigerator was still cold but she turned the freezer on colder so she could have something chilly to drink later.

Eric watched all this in silence and was amazed at her speed and efficiency. He wasn't even this organized at Greg's apartment – how would he have done this as damaged as he was? Jackie walked through the hallway that led to basement and dining room. He could hear her moving furniture and making comments but no details. She came back in through the living room door.

Eric was startled when she sat down at the table with him. "We've got a problem. For tonight, we can either drag you upstairs or you can sleep on the couch. If you sleep upstairs, then you're going to have to be going up and down those steps more than you're ready for."

"I guess I'll sleep on the couch."

"Okay, that problem is one solution... Now, those steps in the living room – if someone knocks on the door, you have to climb. You destroyed my idea of the ramp. If we convert the den/dining room into a bedroom, you have access to the front door, and the kitchen and living area."

"Well, that's good too." _So what was the problem?_

"If you're in the dining room and the phone rings in the living room, what are you going to do?"

Eric forgot about the steps. "Yeah, I'm going to have to hop down and get it and in the dark that could be dangerous." _Why wasn't he thinking ahead about little shit like this?"_

Jackie sighed. "I have an alternative. Do you want to hear it?" She was waiting for Eric to make some smartass remark. When he looked expectantly she continued. "Let's bypass the den and dining room and keep everything level. The dining room door was a tight fit, but with crutches, you could manage"

She took a deep breath. "I'm suggesting we get rid of that butt ugly orange sofa and put in a real bed." She put up her hand so he couldn't interrupt. "We get rid of the chair, you're Dad would not mind, trust me. No one should be knocking on the front door, but if they do, we'll put up one of those delivery-in-back kinds of signs."

Eric thought any plan was a good plan. "I like it." He said simply. 'You're thinking smarter than me on all of this so whatever you say, I'll agree to." She looked at him waiting for the burn. He looked back. "What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing I guess. Well, I need you to wash those dishes while I call this rental store to get the bed."

"What about my folks bed upstairs?"

"They took it with them and before you ask, your twin bed will just kill you. Let me handle this – you wash and rinse." Eric used his crutch and limped over to the sink. His left hand was useable to hold the soapy plate while he scrubbed with his right. He rinsed and set the plate in the drainer while Jackie made some phone calls.

Minutes later she came up behind him. "Hold still for a minute." She untied something and loosened his sling removing it from his shoulder. He felt instant relief – sure the arm still hurt like hell, but he had freedom of movement. "Thanks Jackie."

"Just make sure you don't get the plaster wet." She looked around and discovered a plastic glove. "This is perfect." She held it open so he could slide his left hand inside and the plastic sleeve went half way up his elbow – yeah, it was pretty good. At least this made him feel normal.

She jumped up on the edge of the counter. "The Baker Rental Company is delivering the bed at 4:00 o'clock. I called the phone company and they are adding jack for the living room so we can have an extra phone in both rooms. It's less running back and forth."

"That sounds better. Thanks." He rinsed the last dish and set it in the rack and hopped his way back to the table. His right hand lifted his leg onto the empty chair seat.

"Eric, I need to know about the utilities. Did your folks pay for this month or are they going to be turning stuff off? I think you need the water and electricity transferred to your name. I noticed there was no television and I can't stay here for three months with no cable."

"I'm not sure. I can call and check. I have a TV in one of those boxes." He pointed to the pile in the driveway. Jackie raised her eyebrow, "How big is the screen?"

Eric said proudly, "It's a 21 inch color." Jackie shook her head. "That'll be great for the kitchen. I've got a 27 in color that I'll have Fez bring from my apartment."

Okay, a bigger screen in the living room wasn't such a bad thing! "I don't want to ruin your schedule but I think it's time for my medications."

Jackie hopped of the kitchen counter and rummaged through her purse for his prescriptions. She handed him the medicines and got a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Not complaining, "he said, "But why are you giving me water in a bottle when I can get it from the tap?

"Because I'm not your maid and if you get thirsty again, look – you have bottle of water!"

"Okay smarty pants." He laughed. "I didn't think about something as simple as being thirsty was so complicated!"

"I'm glad you're agreeable but Eric, we have to clean you up man. When's the last time you showered?"

Eric blinked. "Why do you care about my hygiene… or lack of?" Jackie rubbed her forehead. "Ew! You're getting a new bed with new sheets; do you want to put a sticky, bloodstained body on that nice bed?"

*


	5. Chapter 5 Ew!

**Author Note: **_Thanks for all the story alerts and your readership….and yes…they are still butting heads but progress is in the making_

**Chapter 05** – Ew!

"_When's the last time you showered?"_

The next thing Eric knew, Jackie had him in a chair on the patio. She took a Polaroid picture of him and then his clothes were cut off and he was sitting there in boxers and the casts were covered with garbage bags. She said, "You are lucky it's still hot outside or this would be freezing cold."

She turned the garden hose on his back and he flinched from the chilly water but had to admit it felt good as it sluiced over his shoulders and down his back. She carefully wet his hair, mindful of the bandages near his eyes. The hose was put down and something wonderful smelling was being lathered into his hair. He leaned his head back as she massaged his scalp. The rinse felt great and then she ran a soapy washcloth over his neck and back. He could see dirty water running down the driveway.

"Pits." She said and he lifted his arms. This was not the time to be self conscious and she gently washed his bruises and around his stitches. When she got to his ribs he laughed because frankly, it tickled. Jackie told him to quit squirming but it still tickled. She rinsed off his good leg and let him soap it himself because she didn't want to put herself in a potentially intimate predicament.

When he was all rinsed, she removed the trash bags and left him to sit there while she hosed down the patio. Eric felt immensely refreshed. He could see the remnant bloody water heading to the driveway. Jackie handed him a towel. "You really got some bruises here. Was this the seat belt?"

For the first time without his shirt, Eric could take physical inventory of his damages. "Yeah, that was the seat belt. All these little bruises must have been flying glass. I remember the car rolling and some stuff from the backseat was flying all around. The whole event was surreal."

"What happened to the driver?" she asked.

"Greg got lucky – he broke his ankle. I think I broke my arm when the car landed upside down."

"So what about the other driver?" she inquired.

"The guy was pretty drunk and barely got hurt. I got most of the damage." Eric watched as Jackie took her trusty scissors and cut the leg off of a pair of his good jeans. He knew better than to question what she was doing. She rummaged through his clothing box and pulled out a tee shirt.

She stood back and watched as Eric clumsily pulled on the pants. Every inclination told her to help, but he had to learn to dress himself the hard way. Luckily, he was zipping up the pants when an incessant beeping alerted the pair to the bed delivery.

"Just stay out of the way and let me take care of this."

_God she was bossy!_ This apparently was something she never outgrew since high school. "I'll just sit in the kitchen and put up my leg. I'm starting to feel the medication working."

If she heard him, she gave no indication as she was running down the driveway talking to the driver of the truck. The truck drove back out on the street and Jackie came running around through the kitchen and into the living room.

Eric could hear muffled conversation and sounds of furniture moving but he closed his eyes and let the medicine work its wonders on the ache in his arm and the pains in his lower leg. He fell asleep at the kitchen table.

*

Jackie looked at the king size bed that now sat where the old Forman couch used to sit. It took up a large part of the living room but it saved having to run up and down the stairs for every little thing he needed. _God, this was a thankless job! _ She managed to convince the delivery men to take the chair and sofa with them which included a 50 dollar tip.

She put some clean sheets on the mattress and covers on the pillows. The store owner looked at her like she was crazy when she bought eight pillows but he didn't know that the majority of them were to keep a cast elevated. She pulled an end table over to the right side of the bed to hold the TV remote, the extra telephone and anything else he may require. She gave his that side because it was closest to the bathroom.

Fortunately, the telephone company representative showed up to install the extra jack. She watched as he found an existing one behind the Forman's old bookcase and simply ran the wire under the carpet.

Jackie sat on the edge of the freshly made bed and she was exhausted. She would make him some dinner, get Fez to bring the TV and she would take a long hot bubble bath. That would be her thankless reward for being guilted into this babysitting job.

*

Eric slowly woke up to the smell of roasting chicken. He lifted his head and saw Jackie at the stove stirring something in a pot. He had a crick in his neck and was fortunate he didn't fall out of the chair!

"Smells good." He commented lightly. He was rewarded with a smile. 'Thank you. How was your nap?"

Eric ran a hand over the back of his neck. "I don't remember. My leg hurts less so it must have been good. What are you cooking?"

"Chicken and rice pilaf – before you start criticizing my cooking, remember that you could be doing this yourself. Besides, Fez is bringing my TV so he's going to want to eat. Hey, do you have a microwave in one of those boxes?"

Eric nodded. 'Yeah I do. I also have a blender." Jackie started thinking of mixed drinks. "Why did you have to move?"

Eric yawned. "My roommate got engaged and his fiancée was moving in so it was awkward having me living there."

"So what happened to your car? I mean the Vista Cruiser is here – what do you drive?"

"Oh, I was driving a Honda but the lease was up and since I was moving here for a while, I figured I'd just find something in Point Place to get me around."

Jackie teased lightly, "I guess you didn't figure it would be a wheelchair."

"Ha ha. Very funny."

There was a tap at the door and Fez stuck his head in. "Goddess! You're dirty, what have you been doing?" Fez walked over and kissed her on the head. "Aiiy, Eric you look much better all cleaned up." He sniffed Eric's hair. "Jackie shampooed you." Fez slid in an empty chair, "I have your TV and I brought your CD collection."

"Oh Fez, you're an angel. I can't work on my stuff without the music. Thanks for remembering."

Eric tried to remember what they were talking about but it was fuzzy. "What is the _stuff_ you are doing?"

Fez walked over to the fridge and pulled out a soda. "Well, Jackie and I own a salon called Fancy Ladies. We experimented with different hair products then Jackie created an organic shampoo. That is why your hair smells so good."

Jackie stirred the rice. "I've been selling it on those late night cable programs and Fez and I have made quite a bit of money."

"That's why she's on this vacation!" Fez said happily. Jackie glared at him, "This is no vacation."

"But goddess, you can create the conditioner in the basement. No more mess in your apartment" He looked at Eric, "Or mine! You have made me a very wealthy man and now I can import the finest of candies."

Fez looked at Eric's face. "You are not wearing the pirate patch."

Eric half-smiled at Fez's comment. "No, my vision is still a bit fuzzy but I have an appointment with an eye doctor tomorrow – they need to make sure all the glass is out."

Jackie put some oven mitts and pulled the chicken from the oven. "Hey Fez, can you grab some plates and forks for me?" She carried the bird to the table and went back for the rice. A small salad was recovered from the fridge and a bottle of ranch dressing was brought out from the canned goods cupboard.

*

Dinner was delicious. Eric wasn't sure if it was Jackie's cooking or if it was just better than hospital food. To give her credit it did smell wonderful. Jackie left Eric to wash dishes while she and Fez brought in the televisions and some more of the boxes from the driveway.

"Jackie, if Eric gets to sleep in this big wonderful bed, where are you going to sleep?"

"I'm just going to pull a couple of mattresses down from upstairs and sleep behind this wall. That way if Eric falls out of bed or whatever, I'm not to far away." She sat down on the living room step. "Without the Forman's here, this is such a lonely house. I can't blame Mrs. Forman for wanting to move. I think when I'm done here; I'm going to fly to Miami for a visit."

Fez scratched his short beard. "This would not be a good place to be lonely."

Jackie looked at her long time friend. "Fez, I don't know how long I can stay here. Eric is so…so...God, he's a butthead! I refuse to wait on him hand and foot, I need Jackie time. I'm going to need to get out of here once in a while."

Fez patted her dusty brown hair. "Tell you what my friend, do you still play tennis with Teena?"

"Yeah - every other Wednesday. Why?"

Fez grinned. "I'll give up my Wednesday nights and watch TV with Eric. You go have fun and we'll get Kelso so come up on the weekends so you get time off."

Jackie smiled. "Thanks Fez. I appreciate someone looking out for me."

"Oh, before I go, I brought you some of your fluffy towels. I know how you don't like being away from without them."

"You are my best friend today! Thank you! I'm tucking the man child into bed and then taking a long hot shower and soak. I feel so grungy and my hair is getting stringy. That's not a good look for me."

"No it's not." Fez stood up, "Let me go say good night to Eric and call me at the Salon if you need anything."

"Oh, I need my desktop computer. I need to catalog the ingredients I'm using for the conditioner. I was thinking…avocado oils." Jackie walked with Fez back into the kitchen. "Sounds yummy but we want people to use it in their hair, not eat it."

Jackie laughed and then saw Eric waiting at the table. She closed her eyes and thought to herself, "You are not his nurse. _You are his friend_. You are not his cook. _You are his friend_. You are not his wife_. You are his friend_." She exhaled and put on a Jackie smile. "Thanks for doing the dishes. Fez has to go so I think we need to give you your night time meds and you can check out the new bed." She said politely.

Fez grinned. "It's nice Eric, you should sleep good there. The hospital bed was not as nice." Fez squeezed Eric's shoulder. "I'll see you sometime this weekend. Get well my friend."

Eric was sorry to see Fez go. That left him with only Jackie for company. One long day in the company of Jackie Burkhart – mentally Eric sighed – boy this was going to be fun! NOT!

"Do you want your chair or can you crutch it in here?" she asked as she held open the kitchen door. Eric lowered his leg to the floor. "I hate that chair so I'll hop in.

Jackie stepped aside as Eric hobbled into the new improved living room. "Wow!" was the only thing his mind could think and his mouth could say. The bed was huge and inviting. There were pillows stacked against the head of the bed and several propped at the foot for his cast. Jackie had given him a small table with a telephone, the TV remote and several bottles of water.

The larger TV had been set on an old credenza taken from Red's den. This was perfect. He swung himself into the living room barely believing that that this was where he was going to sleep; it felt like he won the brass ring!

Jackie watched as he nearly stumbled to the bed. He sat back against the headboard and hitched his leg up on the pillows. He closed his eyes and there was a real smile on his face. She was glad he finally liked something.

"Eric." She bumped the mattress with her hip to get his attention. "I think you should be good for the night. You have everything you need right here. I'm going to set up my bed and take a bath. If you fall down, dial 911 on the phone – it works."

Eric opened his eyes to see her walking around the front of the bed and disappearing behind him. He opened the bottle of Tylenol and shook a couple in his hand and chased them with some bottled water. He closed his eyes and sat there enjoying the comfort of the new bed.

*


	6. Chapter 6 Good Night

**Authors Note: **_What a long day this has been!!!_

**Chapter 06** - Good Night

"_If you fall down, dial 911 on the phone – it works."_

Jackie wasn't too sure how sanitary Laurie's old mattress was so instead, she lugged Eric's off the old twin bed and let it slide down the staircase. She'd deal with that after her bath.

The Forman bathroom really needed a good cleaning but Jackie was too tired to attempt that. She would just leave that for the maid service tomorrow. She put her soft thick towels over the rail and set her fragrant soaps and oils on the edge of the tub. She closed the lid of the toilet and lit a fat vanilla scented candle.

She didn't worry about closing the door because Eric couldn't climb stairs anyways and she wanted some of the central air to blow into the bath. She plugged in her CD player and grabbed Bon Jovi's _Slippery When Wet_ disc - which seemed appropriate for the bathroom. She turned on the shower and when the water got hot, she slid inside as the band began singing _You Give Love a Bad Name._

After she shampooed and conditioned her hair, she drained the water and let it fill with bubbles and lavender oils. The scent was relaxing and she hadn't even soaked yet! She closed her eyes and sang along with _Livin' on a Prayer_ and just gave herself up to the hot slick water and the music.

Downstairs, Eric's eyes opened up when he heard the lone cowboy guitar keening and the rattlesnake shake of Bon Jovi's, _Wanted Dead or Alive_ and Jackie was wailing with the band. The scents of lavender and vanilla wafted down the stairs and made Eric acutely aware that this was not a Forman house smell. This was a girl smell and he hadn't been privileged with that in a long time.

He could hear the tub draining to the tune of _Bad Medicine_ and chuckled as he spied his bottles of prescriptions. Without even looking he could sense Jackie walking down the stairs. He could smell the shampoo and the scented body oil she wore. The only light on was from the den and Eric could hear her dragging something and then the sounds of a bed being made. _When did she do that?_ The den light went off and he heard a whispered, "Good Night."

*

Eric slept fitfully for the first time in many months. The bed was comfortable; his raised leg didn't ache as piercingly as it did in the hospital and he just needed to see a man about a horse. The crutch was propped against the end table and he quietly maneuvered his leg off the pillows and made his way across the short distance to the kitchen.

On the trip back, he saw a mass of dark hair hanging off the side of a twin mattress. Jackie slept there? She couldn't have been comfortable – but still she was asleep. Eric looked at his huge bed and felt guilty that she slept on the floor. He was totally awed by the amount of work she accomplished to get him ready for his first night home.

He'd have to find some way to repair her for this. No one else would have thought about all the little nuances the way she did. The telephone, the bed…everything was designed in relation to how far he's have to walk with the crutches. She was brilliant. He quietly slipped back in bed and closed his eyes listening to her sleep.

*

Jackie woke up with the morning sun shining right through the front windows. She didn't know that the front of the house faced east or she would have slept on the other side of the mattress. She stretched and groaned a little as her back protested sleeping on the floor. This was NOT like camping.

Sitting up, she ran her fingers through her hair to take out the tangles. Somewhere in the house was her make up case with the hair bands. She stood and saw that Eric wasn't in the bed_. If he fell and tripped I'm gonna kill him!_ She stepped through the kitchen doors to see that he was up and making coffee in Kitty's old electric percolator.

"Good Morning." He said. His balancing had much improved since yesterday. "I saw that you were sleeping on the floor. You didn't have to do that."

She shrugged and went looking through the boxes for her makeup case. Eric wondered how long two people could go without _really_ talking to each other. Sure they spoke when they _had_ to but the conversations were really meaningless. She finally found the black and pink case and held it in the air like a trophy.

Eric watched as she marched past him and back into the living room. All he could think about now was how to get the cup of coffee to the kitchen table with out spilling it. Physical Therapy didn't teach shit like this!

*

Jackie recognized that she was probably rude back there, but anyone that knows her also knows that she won't face the world until she has her hair and make up fixed. She knew this day was going to be another scorcher so she found some cotton pants and a peasant blouse. She quickly French-braided her hair and pinned it back with a plastic clip. There were still errands to run, she had to take Eric to the eye doctor and the maids were coming to do a major clean up.

Satisfied that she looked good, Jackie put her stuff back in the case and left it in the room that was now officially the girl's bathroom. She stowed her clothes in the empty hall closet. It would be so much better when the house was dusted and vacuumed. Maybe she could replace those ugly curtains and put in some vertical blinds. It would help keep the room a lot cooler this summer!

She came in the kitchen as Eric was still trying to figure out how to balance the hot coffee cup in his left hand and use the crutch under his right arm. Jackie grabbed it from him and set it on the table and went to pour one of her own. She added some cream and sugar and sat at the table where Eric was just sitting down.

"We have an agenda today. Daisy's Maids are going to be here at 9:00 to give this place a thorough cleaning. You have an 11:00 o'clock appointment with the eye doctor. We have to go to the pharmacy to pick up that antibiotic cream for your eye. Then I need to stop by my apartment for more clothes and my own linens. I can't live with these ugly orange and green colors. I know they were your mom's but ugh!"

Eric's ear quit listening when she said 11:00 o'clock. Did she even breathe during that little lecture? He watched as she looked at the Cat clock on the wall. "Eric, did you hear what I said?"

He blinked. "Um, yeah…11:00 o'clock with the cleaning ladies."

".God." Jackie put her head down on the table. She looked back at him. "You have 30 minutes to get dressed, make some cereal and be in my van." She finished her coffee then rinsed the cup in the sink. Eric watched as she disappeared into the living room. _God what a bitch!_ Nevertheless, Eric was dressed and ready to go in the allotted 30 minutes.

*

The Maids van pulled up into the driveway and Jackie got out giving instructions to the crew. Eric was busy strapping his self in and finding a decent radio station. Jackie climbed back in, "Don't let me forget to be back here by 4:00 so we can pay them or they start charging overtime." Jackie swatted his hands, "Don't touch my radio. I'll give you your own preset button but leave the rest alone." She warned nicely.

Eric sat back fully prepared to enjoy the ride. He knew that he was getting on Jackie's nerves and the fact they haven't had any real conversation was starting to bother him.

*

"Hello Mr. Forman, I'm Dr. Stanton. I'm just going to be taking a look at your eyeball here. I'm specifically interested in the damage to your cornea." The specialist opened his left lid and examined the orb. "If you feel your eyes watering, it's a perfectly natural response."

Eric's eyeball was feeling dry. The doctor let the lid closed. "It's healing perfectly but I'm going to want to get a corneal topography." Eric was led over to sit in front of a machine that looked like a bowl of concentric rings. The assistant explained that the pattern would reflect his cornea at the center of the bowl so the doctor could analyze the shape and look for position or height changes. Extremely painless she reassured him.

"Mr. Forman, when was the last time you had your eyes examined." Dr. Stanton asked.

Eric tried to think back. "High school - maybe? I don't remember and I can see perfectly." Dr. Stanton chuckled and wheeled Eric over to the phoropter. "This is a machine that looks like a bunch of eyeglasses - it is an optical refractor. I'm going to show you a series of pictures and you tell me when you can see clearly. Ready?"

Jackie was reading a magazine when Eric wheeled himself out of the exam room looking like he had been handed a death sentence. Jackie walked over, "Is there still glass in your eye?"

He looked up at her. "No, it's worse. I have to wear glasses!"

Jackie bit back a laugh. "Well, they have nice frames and some that are photosensitive lenses so you can wear them as sunglasses. I really don't think you'll end up looking like a Poindexter. I'll be in the van after they find you some frames." Damn she wanted to laugh so badly! She reached for her purse and Eric grabbed her wrist. The contact was unexpected and startled her. "Help me. I don't want to look like a dork. I trust your fashion sense."

She looked at him for any smartass comments but he added. "You make people look good. Help me please?"

*

The next stop was a pharmacy in Kenosha. While the prescription was being filled, Jackie wheeled Eric around so he could buy shaving cream and "guy stuff" that was missing at the house. The pharmacist was quick and they were back in the van.

"Jackie, do you mind if we stop somewhere and get lunch? I'll treat." Eric held out his wallet as a bribe.

"Where do you want to eat?"

"I was thinking of a sandwich shop. There's a good one by the college." Jackie put on her blinker and turned the corner. She knew basically where it was located.

Eric loved the smells of fresh bread baking in the ovens. He used his crutches and found a booth that allowed him to rest his leg. Jackie sat across from him and pulled out her notebook. A waitress came over with menus and ice water.

Eric already knew what he wanted but was dismayed that Jackie didn't even look at her menu. "What are you doing?" She looked up, "Excuse me?" Eric waved the plastic menu. "Do you know what you want to order?"

"They serve tuna right?"

"Well, yeah."

"That's what I'm having." _God why did she have to sound so flippant?_ "Sorry, I'm making notes on a new project I've been thinking about. Please order me a tuna and diet Coke."

The waitress came back and Eric gave their orders noticing a familiar face in the crowd. The raven haired woman looked up at the same time. "Eric - Oh my god!"

Jackie looked up to see a tall lithe woman rushing between tables to get to the booth. She knelt on the floor and examined his casted arm. "Greg told me what happened but I didn't realize it was this bad." Nancy snagged a chair and pulled it to the table.

"I'm going to be fine. The doctors pinned me back together and I'm just lucky it happened over school vacation. Hey, Nancy, this is Jackie." The lovely lady looked up to see Jackie and recognized her. Eric continued his introductions. "Jackie this is Nancy, my roommate's fiancée."

Jackie smiled politely and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you… Nancy." Eric watched the extraordinary politeness as Jackie spoke to the woman and was reminded of how polite she treated him. _Like a stranger_.

"Greg is complaining about his ankle and a totaled automobile but look at you…."

Nancy looked back at Jackie. "Where do I know you from?"

Jackie shrugged. "I've never met you so…maybe I look like someone you know."

Nancy tapped her fingertip against her chin. "What's your last name?" Nancy was persistent!

Jackie stopped writing. "Burkhart. Jackie Burkhart."

Nancy's eyes got big as she exclaimed. "TV. I've seen you on TV. Oh my god, can I have your autograph?"

Jackie was embarrassed.

"What are you talking about?" Eric asked.

Nancy pulled a business card from her wallet for Jackie to sign. "Oh my god, I saw you last night on the home shopping channel. Fancy and Free! I just bought a case." Eric watched as Jackie smiled, the icy mask melting with her happy face. "And you love it right?" Nancy left the chair and moved to sit next to Jackie in the booth. She was bold and reached out to smell Jackie's hair. "Oh my god, I just love it so much!" Nancy looked at Eric who was baffled about what they were talking about.

"This is Jackie Burkhart, the creator of Fancy and Free shampoo - completely organic and the best thing that ever happened to my hair!" Nancy took Jackie's hand and put it on her head. "Before I started using your shampoo, I had split ends and dry scalp. Now my hair feels like silk."

The professional hairdresser parted Nancy's hair into sections and examined the texture of her hair. "Your hair is very healthy. Can I make a recommendation?"

Nancy nearly gushed. "Please do." Jackie pushed Nancy's hair back from her face. "If you take these two sections and have your salon give it a little razor cut, it will add body and not look so heavy by your eyes. Your blue eyes are too pretty to be hidden by a curtain of dark hair."

Eric could swear his roommate's fiancée was star struck. "I will. I swear I will. Are you still working at a salon?"

Jackie smiled. "My business partner is running Fancy Ladies' over on Tate - if you tell him what I just told you, he'll give you the best shampoo of your life."

Nancy leaned over and hugged Jackie. "You are a lifesaver! My girlfriends will not believe I met you!" Nancy slid out of the booth. "Eric, I'll tell Greg I saw you and have him call you later. I have to go wash my hair!"

*


	7. Chapter 7 Can We Talk?

**Author Note: **_Eric gets told! It is much deserved!_

**Chapter 07 – **Can We Talk?

"_Eric, I'll tell Greg I saw you and have him call you later. I have to go wash my hair!"_

Eric felt totally left out and clueless. What just happened? He was dismissed by Greg's fiancée for some shampoo? He watched as Nancy disappeared out the door. The waitress came back with their sandwiches and Eric pretty much ate in silence.

Jackie ate her sandwich, made some notes and when she was through, put her book away and finished her soda. She looked up at Eric. "Are you done?"

"No. I thought we could enjoy a lunch together but I was wrong."

Jackie frowned. "Eric, seriously…what's your problem."

"You." He said simply. Jackie stared at him. "Me. How am your problem?" She wiped her hands on the paper napkin. Eric gulped – it was a face off! "Why is it that you are pleasant and funny with everyone else but me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." _She did – but he didn't need to know that!_

"Like with Nancy. You were warm and friendly and then you and Fez joke around; but with me, you treat me like a stranger."

"Eric, I tried being nice and you brushed me off. Remember being in the hospital and calling for a friend? So, I am lending you a hand like I would any other person that needs my help. You don't treat me like a friend so why should I extend you the same courtesy?"

Eric was annoyed. "What do you mean?"

"Oh please! Spawn of Satan – Devil's daughter? Do you think I don't know? Really… how old are you now and do I really resemble that 17 year old you remember?"

_She had him on that one_. "Well, no. But your reputation through the years…"

"Excuse me -my _reputation_? What planet do you live on Eric. Mars? Hello, while you were married I was in school studying to be a cosmetician. While you were getting divorced and going to college, I was working in a beauty parlor cutting hair for old women. While you were getting your degree, I was styling hair for television studios. My reputation has been stellar."

"But…"

"While I'm washing your mother's hair once a month for the last ten years all I hear about is Eric this and Eric that. At least I kept track of my friends. I could tell you what you got for Christmas in freaking 1987! I take care of the people I care about and I tried to do that with you in the hospital but oh no! It's Jackie that Horrible. What did I ever do to you? Why do you hate me so much?"

Jackie threw her napkin on the table and grabbed her bag to run out the door. Eric saw her get in the van and slam the door shut. "I am such an idiot." He said to no one in particular.

*

"He's a stupid insensitive jerk!" She wiped her eyes and checked her mascara in the rear view mirror. _I should let him walk home! _She could see Eric hurrying out the door. Jackie touched up her lip gloss and cranked the air conditioner on the highest setting.

Eric was praying she didn't drive off and leave him there as she should have, but as he stumbled through the restaurant doors, she was sitting in the van with the engine running. He could see she was wiping her eyes and he knew he made her cry and that was his last intention.

The passenger door was unlocked and he quickly maneuvered his cast in the door and was buckling himself in when she jetted out of the parking lot. "I'm going home." was all she said before she turned the radio on and hiked up the volume.

Eric sat there listening to the end of _Opposites Attract _by Paula Abdul

_I take--2 steps forward  
I take--2 steps back  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract  
And you know--it ain't fiction  
Just a natural fact  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract_

The van stopped in front of her little garden apartment and she took her purse and the car keys and fled for apartment number 3. Eric closed his eyes. _I'm going home_. Yep, that's what she said and she's probably calling a taxi right now. Eric was starting to sweat in the van and decided to appeal to her good nature and ask to wait in her house for his ride.

Jackie was packing a suitcase with her fresh nightgowns and some summer clothes. She needed her blow dryer and stuffed that in the case as well. She went to the kitchen and grabbed a canvas tote to fill with linens and extra candles. She heard a knock at her door.

Eric was surprised when she opened it – he figured she would ignore it and he would be waiting in the heat for the cab. "What do you want?"

"Er, I was wondering if I could wait inside for the taxi." She looked at him like he was dim. "What taxi?" But she let Eric step inside her apartment. He loved it – there was so much color and happiness in here – not like the Forman house. He turned, "You said you were going home and we're here so I assumed I was taking a cab back to Point Place."

Jackie closed her eyes. "You can be so stupid some times." She felt like tearing out her hair. He eased himself down on the sofa and managed to look so endearing and vulnerable at the same time.

She sat down on the other end of the couch. "Listen to me again." She reached out and pulled his face towards her. "Read my lips. This morning I said that after the pharmacy I had to stop by my apartment for clothes and linens – do you remember any of that?"

He vaguely did, "You don't like green and orange."

She sighed. "Yes, it was in that conversation. What kind of person do you think I am that I would bring you here and make you take a taxi home? God Eric, you are so… so exasperating!"

"Hey….look…we're talking!" Eric felt like there was progress being made. Now he could make some apologies. "Jackie, I'm sorry for being…what you called me…a dick. I made assumptions about you and you are right. I don't really know you. All I remember is comments made by Kelso and he was a doofus. Then there was Hyde and he was always pissed at you or making fun of you and I guess there is my problem. You and I never became actual friends. You were kind of like on the fringe…."

"Well, if you didn't have your head up Donna's ass all the time, you would have seen that other people liked you too. What about Fez and Brooke? Well, we all made fun of Fez but he's got a great heart."

"So you're still friends with Kelso and Brooke?"

"Yes. Fez and I both visit once a month and Betsy's my god-daughter. Did you think I was going to desert them? I'm not like you think I am Eric. If you want me to be a friend, you better start treating me like one."

Jackie stood up and went back into her bedroom. Eric leaned back against her comfortable couch. _God, this house smelled so good!_ Yeah, she was right, he was treating her like the enemy and she never really did anything to him. Why did she have to be right? But then, those flashes of a happy Jackie were preferable to the ice queen she could be with him…he wanted to be her friend. He wanted that smile once in a while. The teenage Jackie was still in there but had been tempered by time and a depth of maturity he missed out on. Then that could also be said for all of his friends.

Jackie came back out with her suitcase and two bags which she set by the door. "Well?" She watched as Eric struggled to his feet and walked to the door. He stopped in front of her and held out his hand. "Hi. I'm Eric Forman and I'm the biggest jerk in all of Wisconsin. I'd like to be your friend." He saw the beginnings of a smile hover around the corner of her lips.

She took his hand and shook it. "I'm Jackie Burkhart and it's nice to meet you."

*

The Daisy Maids were stowing their gear when Jackie's van pulled into the driveway. The head of the group took her into the house showing her problems they had or potential problems that needed to be looked at. Meanwhile, Eric slid out of the passenger door and retrieved his wheelchair.

Jackie wrote out a check for their services and went back to the van to get her cases. "When we walk in there, it will smell fresher and look cleaner than it has in the last 10 years."

Eric followed her in to the kitchen where the sliding doors sparkled with a Windex wash and the floor was shined and waxed. The chairs were cleaned and the appliances almost looked new. Jackie breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm checking the rest of the house. You should go rest up before you fall over."

Eric agreed and hopped into the living room. No dust, no grime…just a good clean smell. He sat on the edge of the bed and spilled his prescription medication into his hand and chased it with a swallow of water. He lay back against the pillows and elevated his foot. Ahhhh…..relief!

He closed his eye and recalled the conversation in Jackie's apartment. _. "Hi. I'm Eric Forman and I'm the biggest jerk in all of Wisconsin. I'd like to be your friend."_ Yeah when all is said and done, he had been a dick – every kind gesture she tried to show him he ended up pushing her away. She even tried to hug him and he refused that. He _was_ an idiot!

"_I'm Jackie Burkhart and it's nice to meet you."_ He finally got the smile he wanted – and she was charming. Eric actually felt like he was meeting her for the first time. It was so much better when she smiled. He felt the bed dip and opened his eyes.

"Did I wake you?"

"Um no -I was jus thinking. What's going on?"

Jackie held up a tube from the pharmacy in one hand and a spiky plant leaf in the other. "This is for your eye and the stitches." Eric looked at the leaf – oh she was cruel! She planned on poking him in the eye with the largest plant she could find. He reached up and grabbed the wrist with the plant. She grinned. "The leaf is part of an aloe vera plant. It will help prevent scars. This tube is from your doctor. Now let go of my arm or I WILL poke you in the eye." _How did she know what he was thinking?_

Jackie squeezed the ointment onto her ring finger and gently rubbed it into the tender bruised skin near the corner of his left eye. She broke the plant leaf into two pieces and some viscous liquid dripped onto her finger. She smoothed the sticky fluid onto the stitches at the side of his cheek and on his forehead. Eric closed his eyes, the gentle massage felt extremely good. It was only minutes later and he fell asleep.

*

The smell of onions and garlic woke him from his nap. Eric didn't realize how hungry he was or how late it got. There was a lamp turned on and the TV was playing a rerun of Hawkeye arguing with Hot Lips. Eric grabbed his crutch and hopped into the kitchen. "Hey, what smells good?"

Jackie turned around. "I'm frying potatoes. How was your nap?"

Eric smiled – this was better – no sniping they were both pleasant and oh jeez, he had to pee again. "It was great! I'll be right back." He hobbled down the hall to the bathroom. Jackie added some cheese to the potatoes and put on the lid moving the pan off the burner.

She turned around and put the breaded the meat into the hot oil. While it sizzled and cooked, she prepared the green beans. If Eric could ever balance and carry, she could get him to set the table. But the only task he could really do was wash dishes.

He came back out of the bathroom, "Now what smells so good?" He wanted to see put she covered the pan. "It's dinner and you have to wait. Why don't you get comfy while I finish up here?"

Eric watched as Jackie brought over the plates and silverware and condiments for dinner. "Where did you learn to cook?"

She looked back over her shoulder. "I learned from your mother. While you were in Africa she gave me and Donna some lessons but Donna could never get the hang of cooking chicken."

Eric thought back briefly to the year of "no chicken" – now the "no fowl" rule Donna had made sense! "Well, I'll have to tell my mom that her graduate student is still tops in her class." Eric was blessed with a quiet smile from the chef.

This dinner was better than yesterday's and he told her so. They had a quiet conversation about his time in Africa and Eric was pleasantly surprised that she remembered his plan to teach impoverished children. She told him how proud Red was on his graduation day – he even came in for a hair cut! Eric liked hearing about his parents from Jackie. She had a way of describing them that was right on the spot. She could do the patented Kitty Forman laugh and he ended up laughing at her rendition.

Dinner was over and Jackie smiled, "Guess what?"

"I don't know."

"You get to wash dishes. I'm going downstairs to wash some clothes. Speaking of washing, I put a stool in the bathroom so you can take a proper shower. I don't think you really want to be hosed off again. Do you?"

Eric grinned. "No, it's not a pretty sight to see Eric Forman in his boxers and garbage bags."

"You are absolutely correct. I thought I was going to go blind from the white skin of your leg!" she teased lightly. Eric pretended to be insulted but laughed. "One day, in the next two or three months, I'll be rid of this thing and then I can blind you with two skinny white legs!'

"You wish." She laughed as she carried the dirty dishes to the sink. "Just make sure you finish all the dishes."

*


	8. Chapter 8 You Have a Hot Chick!

**Author Note: **_A gratuitous little chapter that opens Eric's eyes and well….._

**Chapter 08 – **You Have a Hot Chick!

Eric stumbled through his shower. He pulled a few stitches and suffered the pain for not being careful. He couldn't shave yet due to the healing parts of his face. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he was amazed that the left side of his head wasn't cracked open. Then how bold was he to go out in public looking like this?

He dried off with the thin towel and put on a pair of shorts and a tank. The stool in the shower had been a great idea. He hopped his way back to the living room. He sat on the edge of the mattress and swung his leg back up on the pillows. He caught the scent of lavender and vanilla again. Jackie was taking her bath. Why didn't his other girlfriends ever smell that good?

Eric was flipping through the TV channels while Jackie was setting up her mattress. He couldn't really turn around but hoped she'd hear his voice. "Jackie, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Speak – I'm making my bed."

Eric smiled at her impudence. "I'd like to see your face please." He heard her exasperated sigh and she walked around the pony wall wearing a very short nightgown. "What is it?"

Eric wasn't sure how to say it without sounding depraved. "Why don't you sleep with me tonight?" Her eyebrow shot up, 'Excuse me?"

"I mean, you shouldn't have to sleep on a mattress on the floor. It's so Cinderella-like."

"So you don't like Cinderella or you want to be Prince Charming?"

_Damn, she messed up his thinking_. He took a breath and a chance, "Look at this bed. It's huge! You can sleep on one side and we have the Grand Canyon in the middle. Come on don't make me feel bad, I'm already humbled enough. Let me be Prince Charming for the night."

Jackie looked at the floor and looked back at the king sized bed. Eric won. Her back probably couldn't take another night on the carpet even if she wanted. She collected her pillows and her favorite blanket and climbed up on the bed. She tucked a pillow against her back and said, "I swear Forman, if you hit me with that cast in the middle of the night, I'm gonna pop you in your other eye!"

Eric laughed and promised to stay on his side. He changed the channel again and Jackie hollered at him to stop. "I never, ever miss MacGyver. I have this thing for Richard Dean Anderson. Change the channel and you die." Eric kept that in mind as they both settled back to see what adventure MacGyver would escape from this time!

*

Eric woke up hours later when the station went off the air and the room was filled with white noise. He noticed that Jackie was sleeping soundly and she smelled so good! He was glad that they had the fight/discussion or whatever it was that finally cleared the air. He was so thankful the ice princess was gone! With a touch of a button, the television was off and Eric was out like a light.

Jackie slept soundly for the first time in days. When the light of day came shining through the windows, this time it didn't land in her face. She opened her eyes slowly and stretched. No back pain – Yay! She rolled onto her side and found Eric lightly snoring with his leg stuck in the air. She noticed that someone had marked on his cast with a felt pen. Quiet as a mouse, she crawled over to see what it was.

_The Candyman was here - 1993_

Jackie covered her mouth – she wanted to giggle. Fez was leaving his mark again. It had been 14 years since he tried to paint graffiti on the water tower and failed. Most of his attempts since then were unsuccessful until he was presented with a blank canvas. Jackie was sure Fez was proud now!

Jackie sat up, her arms wrapped around her knees. It was good that she and Eric cleared the air. The reprieve from his smartass comments was greatly appreciated. She looked at the seat belt bruises on his chest that were a dark purple and was pretty sure they were painful. She carefully touched the skin around the stitches in his cheek which looked a little puffy – she'd have to make sure he was taking the antibiotic – an infection could be complicated

She was startled when Eric's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. She gasped, "Did I hurt you? I was just looking at the stitches." Eric gently released her hand. "How does it look?"

She moved his hair out of the way, "It looks swollen. Do you need a refill on the prescription?" He touched his cheek. 'It doesn't really hurt maybe it's just part of the healing process." He was kind of unnerved that Jackie was hovering over his face.

*

Eric helped make scrambled eggs since it didn't require much moving around. Jackie trusted him not to burn them while she set the table and made toast. Breakfast was quick and easy. Eric cleaned up while Jackie went to the basement to bring back the clean clothes. They spent most of the morning doing little domestic things to keep the house clean and cool before the summer day started heating up.

*

Eric was reaching in to the laundry basket for his tee shirt when the phone rang. He picked it up and was able to hold it in his left hand. "Hello?"

"Hey Eric - its Greg. How are you doing man?"

Eric was glad to hear from his friend. "I'm healing – it's slow. How have you been?"

Jackie walked in as Eric was talking to his friend. She motioned that she was going upstairs and he nodded his head in acknowledgment. Eric turned his attention back to the conversation.

"Nancy mentioned that she saw you yesterday and you looked like hell."

Eric chuckled. "At least she's honest. Hey, we should get together and watch the game soon."

"Eric, please tell me you don't still have hopes that the Yankees are going to beat the Orioles."

"You know I like the underdog."

"Maybe I'll stop by and bring you a beer. I do have some paperwork from my insurance company I need you to sign. Are you free this afternoon?"

Eric almost scoffed. "Well, with a bum leg and a broke arm I don't think I'll be too busy. Come on by - just don't use the front door."

"I know – come in through the kitchen. Got it pal – I'll see you with some beer." Eric hung up as Jackie came back down the stairs with another basket of laundry. He noticed that she had changed in to shorts and sandals.

"Are you actually going outside? It's supposed to be in the 90's."

She smiled. "Well, I wanted to wash the van and maybe the Vista Cruiser because it's filthy. If it's going to be hot, that's the best time to work on my tan! Did you need something before I go?"

"Well, no. My friend Greg is stopping by for my signature so…"

"I'll leave out some chips and salsa okay?"

Eric smiled. "That would be great!"

"Are you done folding those?" She pointed to the basket sitting on the bed. Sheepishly he grinned. 'No – I'll finish it before Greg gets here."

"Greg – he was the driver wasn't he?"

"Yeah, just broke his left ankle. He's doing great otherwise."

"Okay, I'll see you later!" She opened the kitchen door with her hip and disappeared with a whistle.

*

_Eric was wrong; it had to be 100 degrees out here!_ Jackie found an old bucket in the garage and some of Red's liquid soap. She poured a capfull in the pail and carried it out to the side of the house and turned on the hose. _Damn it was hot!_ She looked at the van and the Cruiser. Okay, van today – ugly car tomorrow!

She pulled her bucket to the driver's side of the van and began spraying it off. She saw an economy car pull up in the drive; obviously it was Eric's friend. That was good; he could spend some guy time while she cleaned her car.

Greg knocked on the door and slid it open. "Hey Eric, buddy, I'm in your kitchen!" Greg had been to the Forman house a few times before and hiked himself up onto one of Kitty's orange bar stools. He laid his crutch next to the bar and waited for his friend to come out.

Greg Wheat was a history professor at Kenosha Community College. He and Eric had known each other for three years and became friends as well as co-workers. Eventually, they decided to cut the cost of single living and shared a two bedroom apartment not far from the campus. Greg liked to think of himself as a ladies man. He always had more dates than Eric until he met Nancy and she became "The One". The One that held his interest, the one that made his heart fill with joy and the one he planned on marrying.

Eric hobbled out glad to see his friend. He was also glad to see the six-pack on the bar. Greg was wearing long shorts and a sandal on his good foot. He was attractive with his curly black hair – he reminded Eric of a young Bob Pinciotti. Eric grinned and pulled a chair over by the bar.

They started chatting about guy stuff and Greg opened two beers and they cheered baseball teams in general. Eric found the chips and salsa next to the sink and put the snacks on the bar when Greg said, "Oh my god, who is that sexy thing in your driveway?" Eric hopped back to his chair to see what Greg was talking about.

Jackie was baking in the sun. She hosed off the windshield and the water splashed back at her wetting her tank top. The water was briefly refreshing but dirty. She dropped her sponge in the soapy bucket and squeezed the excess water. Using the small step stool, she climbed up and started soaping the glass.

"_Come on, drop the sponge in the bucket…yeah… pick it up. Oh yeah!"_ Greg was watching Jackie's actions like she was working in slow motion. He could see how her tank top clung to her curves and when she shook the water from her hair he almost came unglued. She climbed the stool and Greg grabbed his crutch and leaned forward to appreciate her long bare legs.

"Dude, that's my friend Jackie. She's staying here to help me out." Eric explained. Greg dragged his eyes away briefly, "You have the hottest chick in the world _washing_ a car in your driveway and you are in the house _talking_ to me? Are you insane?"

"You think Jackie is hot?" Eric figured Greg had to be joking. Greg reached out and grabbed Eric's arm. "Watch when she drops the sponge." Eric looked out the door to see if he could aware of what Greg saw. Jackie did drop the sponge in the soapy water as she hosed off the remainder of the windshield.

She also took a long drink from the end of the hose and Greg groaned out load. "Shit, she is smoking!" Jackie then climbed off the stool and bent down to the bucket. Both Eric and Greg turned their heads sideways to watch her wring the sponge. She stood up and wiped the grill while the soap dribbled down her arms and onto her top.

"Damn." Greg muttered appreciatively. "Hose it off lady." Eric swallowed as Jackie did just that, rinsing the bubbles from her chest and like a brick to the head; Eric Forman _finally_ saw just what Greg was seeing. "Oh my god, she is hot!" Jackie sprayed the grill and laughed as the water that splashed back at her. Her laughter floated into the kitchen like music.

Greg couldn't stand it any longer. He turned to Eric. "Man, how do you live with something like that and not go crazy?"

"Jackie's a friend. She used to hang out here all of the time."

"So then you're not getting any…piece of _that_?" Greg tried to be discreet. Eric frowned. "You think I'm sleeping with her?"

"No man, that's not a woman you can sleep with, if I wasn't with Nancy, I would be up all night long with your…Jackie. God you are a lucky man!"

Eric watched as Jackie grabbed a chamois cloth and started drying the van from top to bottom. Even though she wasn't doing anything un-Jackie-like, the whole van washing process was sensual and erotic and Eric found the answer to Fez's hospital question. Yes, his man parts still worked!

Three beers later, a tired and wet Jackie Burkhart wound up in the kitchen. She smiled at Eric and walked around the bar to the sink to wash her hands. Two heads followed her every move, watching the soft jiggle that indicated she was all woman.

Jackie didn't notice the ogling and wiped her hands on a dish towel. "Hey, I'm Jackie, you must be Greg."

Greg saw the hand coming towards him but heard, "Hey, I'm Jackie…blippity blah blap bloh…" He touched her hand and exhaled slowly. "You are beautiful." He said honestly. Eric watched as Jackie blushed at the compliment.

"Well, thank you. I hope you're enjoying your visit." She turned to Eric, "I'm going to shower off the grime. See you later." The two men watched the long legs in short shorts disappear through the living room door. Greg sighed, "I wanna be her towel."

Damn!

*


	9. Chapter 9 Living With Dynamite

**Author Note: **_Just an angsty little filler chapter_

**Chapter 09 – **Living with Dynamite

Eric felt shaken to the core. Why did it have to be Greg Wheat, of all the people in the world, to point out that he lived with a beautiful woman? Why in the hell didn't he notice it earlier? It was like he saw the outside shape of an adult Jackie and remembered the face of a teenage version. God, and this morning she was crawling around on the mattress in a tiny nightgown!

"Hey Greg, you said something about paperwork you needed me to sign?" Eric had to get his friend out of there or Nancy would be pissed!

Greg pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. "Yeah," he said still dazed. "Sign at the X. So… is Jackie single? Wait obviously she's single. I have a friend that would be seriously interested in her."

Eric looked up. "What?" Greg was trying to set Jackie up on a date? Greg grinned, "Yeah, Dale from the Athletics' Department just got divorced and he's aching for a date…you know what I mean. Can I give him your number?"

Eric was confounded. It wasn't his place to monitor who Jackie dated or not but Dale Jerrod was a lounge lizard looking for a new bed. It would have to be Jackie's decision to go out with him or not. Shit!

"Um sure, it's up to Jackie if she wants to go out or not."

Greg slapped Eric on the back. "Cool. If you're not interested, there are tons of guys who would be. She is too hot to be single." Eric was starting to get disturbed with Greg's assumption that Jackie was a piece of meat to be shared with a bunch of strangers. He signed the insurance forms and handed them back to his friend.

"Hey Greg, I gotta go take my meds, can I call you later?"

Greg was hoping to see Jackie again but sighed. _Damn Forman was one lucky son of a bitch! _"Oh sure, that leg looks bad. Yeah, call me and I'll give Dale your number."

Eric watched Greg leave and scrubbed his face. What a dumbass he was! He always knew Jackie was the pretty cheerleader and her looks hadn't diminished with age, but he didn't see her that way. He saw the whole package and now he saw the _whole package_ in a completely different light. Life was going to be a lesson in restraint! _I can't believe I turned down a Jackie hug_ – Damn!

*

Jackie stepped into a sundress and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. With the laundry done, and the van washed, she could go by the market and pick up the avocados and a mango to add to her hair conditioner experiment. Eric would be zonked out by the pain pills so the afternoon could be spent with her notes and her Bon Jovi CD.

She bounced down the stairs and looked for her purse. She put it somewhere handy, but now she couldn't remember where. Eric came in from the kitchen. 'Hey Eric, have you seen my handbag? I thought I put it by the stairs but now I can't find it."

Eric looked up and felt as star struck as Nancy. Her dark brown hair was in a glossy pony tail and her skin slightly reddened from the sun. She was beautiful and Eric could feel a tug in his stomach. _What did she ask him?_

"Eric? My handbag - have you seen it?" Oh no! She was walking towards him. The crutch slipped a little and he fell towards the mattress. "Oh god, you lost your balance!" She rushed around the bed and grabbed his cast before it slammed into the floor.

"I – I stumbled." He tried to explain. Jackie simply leaned over and plumped the pillows tucking them behind his back. 'Maybe your leg is fatigued. Those kitchen chairs aren't really comfortable." As she fussed over him, Eric was distinctly aware of the smell of her shampoo and the bath oils she used. It was intoxicating.

She sat on the edge of the bed and spilled his prescription into her hand. His hand shook as she dropped the pills in his palm. "You're trembling. You shouldn't wait so long between doses." She handed him the bottle of water and the TV remote.

"I'm going to the market – do you need anything?"

It was hard to swallow. The pills felt like they were stuck but he worked around the lump in his throat. "How about…maybe some beer?"

"Okay, take your nap and I'll be working in the basement when I get back."

She turned around and Eric watched as she skipped through the door. Damn, this was like living with dynamite!

*

Okay, so avocado oil or mango peel – the two just did not work together. Jackie cleaned the gooey mess in the sink and made her notes. Perhaps some shaved coconut and oils would be the trick! She clicked off her CD player and threw a load of clothes in the dryer. When had she become so domestic? Oh yeah, when she didn't have to run to the Laundromat every Saturday!

Eric had fallen asleep soon after Jackie left. His mind kept replaying the carwash scene from earlier in the day. How could a dirty van be so sexy? What would it have looked like if she knew she had an audience? Yeah, that was a good question. He woke up and though he couldn't remember the dream, he still knew it was good.

Jackie burst through the door with another basket of clothes. "Hey, can you fold these? It's just towels and a couple of your shirts. I think. Anyways, I'm going to start dinner." She dumped the basket on the bed and Eric's mouth just opened and closed like a fish out of water. Finally he managed to say, "O-kay."

Jackie was slicing a chicken breast and stuffing it with garlic and lemons. She finally had three tasks Eric could do by himself. Dishes and basic stovetop cooking was easily accomplished by balancing on the crutch. The laundry was simply sitting up in bed. The more chores she got Eric to do, the less she had and eventually she could go home to her own apartment!

Eric dumped the contents of the basket onto the mattress. He immediately noticed that Jackie's towels were thicker and more luxurious than his shabby ones. Okay, she was a girl and maybe they needed that stuff. He pulled out his shirts and folded them when a small slip of silk and lace landed in his lap.

Shit. He picked up the tiny garment and didn't know what to do with it. Does she fold it? Was there more of these hiding in his shirts? Eric didn't want to be caught holding her undies so he slipped it under his pillow. He carefully checked the rest of the clean clothes and they were panty free. Whew! That was unexpected and actually made him nervous.

Jackie came back through the kitchen doors and spied the folded clothes. "Great, you're picking up speed there." She saw that he mixed the towels. "Okay, I have my towels and you have yours. Don't use mine. I will get bitchy on you if you do. Got it?"

Eric was still thinking about the garment hidden beneath his pillow. She would freak out if she knew. If he waited for the next load of laundry he could slide it in with that bunch and be in the clear! Yay Forman.

She took the basket and smiled her thanks as she zoomed up the stairs. Why did Greg have to draw his attention to the fact that Jackie Burkhart was a hot chick? They were getting along so well when he didn't notice her – in _that way_. Now it was going to be uncomfortable – he had a pair of sexy panties under his pillow like some kind of perv!

Then there was the threat of Dale Jerrod taking her on a real date. Jerrod, the man who panted after every new freshman like he was on the prowl – no wonder his wife left him! Now he would do the same thing to Jackie.

Damn Greg – what kind of friend are you?

*


	10. Chapter 10 Fez, When Did Jackie Get So

**Author Note: **_The date is a go!_

**Chapter 10 – **_Fez, When Did Jackie Get So…_

Eric had finished his shower and got into bed totally prepared for a laugh filled evening watching Saturday Night Live. He was aware that Jackie was doing something behind him but didn't know what it was until she sat down on the side of the mattress with a razor in her hand. He scrambled to a sitting position, "Jackie what the hell?"

She looked at him calmly. "Would you relax? I'm going to shave that horrible beard thing you got going on there."

Eric looked at her warily. "How do you know how to shave - you're a girl."

"Would you rather I give you a facial wax? Trust me, this is less painful and you will look less pathetic." When she said that, he reached up and touched his chin. Yeah, he was pretty scruffy but that didn't mean he wanted her slitting his throat!

"Jackie I don't know..."

"Eric, I didn't spend years in beauty school to learn barbering techniques just to humor myself. I can give you the whole heated towel experience if that's what you want. Just for now, let's shave off the crap so your stitches can have some room. Trust me when I say this, ingrown hairs are a bitch and if you have hair coming up along side one of those stitches..."

"Okay - Okay I get it. Just don't...just be gentle okay?"

She laughed softly. "I'll treat you just like my paying customers all right? Just let me wrap this towel around your neck." Eric tried to relax. No one had ever shaved him before and having Jackie's amazing scent right under his nose was totally distracting. Her hands were gentle as she tucked the towel under the neck of his tee shirt.

Her soft fingers massaged the shaving cream over his cheeks, around the stitches, under his chin and across his jaw. The shaving cream was warm on his face and the pads of her fingers making little swirls were very relaxing.

Eric closed his eyes and could feel the razor making short quick strokes up from his jaw. The freshly shaven area was covered with more shaving cream. She gently pulled at the skin on his chin and the razor rasped the stiff hairs growing under his lip. The razor skated over his right cheek and carefully danced around his stitches. Eric found that he actually enjoyed this little experience.

Jackie applied some kind of balm and rubbed it into his freshly shaved skin; it tingled and invigorated his face. She rubbed some kind of liquid into the lines of his forehead and back down to his cheeks. Moments later, she wiped the salve from his skin and said, "Open your eyes."

He did and she put a handheld mirror in front of his face. "How did I do?"

He touched his skin and was amazed at how close she got without nicking his flesh. His face felt great and he told her so. Jackie put the mirror down and gifted him with a beaming smile. She threaded her fingers into his hair and fussed at his roots. "I can give you a hair cut later but you owe me $20 for the shave and skin conditioning."

Eric's mouth fell open. "You have to be kidding."

Jackie leaned forward and pulled the towel from around his neck. He got that wonderful scent from her body again. "Okay, $20 plus a tip."

She swatted his chest with the towel. "It's on the house. You were just looking so ratty, I had to do something!"

*

Jackie put her shaving kit away and left to get ready for the night. Eric was laughing at David Spade and Adam Sandler in a faux-Gap skit when Jackie jumped in bed with her nightgown on.

It was that little short one she wore last night that he didn't notice then, but was _very aware_ of now! He gulped and focused on the TV show hoping his thoughts didn't stray. It worked! He and Jackie laughed at the same skits although she liked Mike Myers more than he did; it was an excellent way to spend the evening. After the guest band played their last song, she turned on her side and said, "Good night Eric." He touched the smooth skin on his face as he turned off the television. "Good night Jackie."

*

During the next week, Jackie and Eric fell into a routine of cooking, cleaning, errands and incorporating physical therapy sessions into the schedule and just trying to get along better. Jackie was still snappy but she tempered it with her kindness. Eric was getting better at forgetting the old princess and appreciating the new one. Besides being obviously gorgeous, she was smart, professional and could carry an intelligent conversation.

Eric kept telling himself, she's your friend and she's helping you, she'll be moving out in two months and two weeks…the countdown was started.

Jackie had her own countdown as well. The more she helped Eric do on his own, the sooner she could get her freedom back. During the past five days, she had to admit that he had been trying to be less irritable. The week passed much more pleasantly than week one.

*

The phone rang was Jackie was in the kitchen making lunch. "Eric, can you get that?" she hollered. Eric picked up the receiver from the living room. "Hello?"

An unrecognizable voice answered, "This is Forman? Hey, this is Dale Jerrod. Is Jackie busy?" Shit. Greg went ahead and contacted the asshole from the Athletics' department at school. "She's busy right now, can I get your number and have her call you back?"

"Yeah… do that. Greg told me all about her and since you're not hitting that, I thought I'd take her out and test the waters…know what I mean?" _Oh, Eric knew exactly what he was talking about._ Jerrod gave Eric his home phone number and Eric dutifully wrote it down.

He took the paper and carried with him to the kitchen table. Lunch was grilled cheese sandwiches with strawberries and cream. Jackie carried over two glasses of ice tea. "Was that the optometrist? Your glasses should be ready any day now."

"No." he pushed the paper towards her as she sat down. "It's a friend of Greg's. Dale Jerrod works at the college with us."

Jackie looked at the number. "Why are you giving me this?"

Eric felt uncomfortable doing so – it was like putting a bunny in the snake pit. "He wants to ask you out."

She looked at the number, "A blind date?"

Eric shrugged. "I guess. I don't know him all that well but I told Greg I'd let you decide if you wanted to go out with him or not."

Jackie paused. A date would get her out of the house for a while – she would have someone that wanted to spend time with her….that was all good stuff. She could wear that new sundress with the lace…She smiled. "I'll call him. Who knows….he could be that Mr. Right I've been looking for!"

Eric felt like groaning. Mr. Wrong was actually the correct word!

*

Eric was finishing his lunch when Jackie made her call. He could only hear her side of it and when she confirmed a late lunch date that Saturday, Eric felt sick. Dare he mention Dale's reputation or trust Jackie to find out first hand what kind of sleazebag the guy really was? In the end, Jackie _was_ a 32 year old woman and Eric had to trust that she knew what she was doing!

She hung up and turned to Eric. "Well, I have a date! I'll call Fez to come over tomorrow afternoon to hang out with you. He owes you one for skipping out on last week. Oh, and Michael and Brooke are coming out next week so what do you think about having a barbecue?"

Eric could only think about Dale and the sophomore student he caught him with last April. That was just before Dale's wife left him…. He sighed, "I'm sorry what did you say?"

"A barbecue – Brooke and Michael are coming next week. What do you think?"

"Hey, that would be great." He said less than enthused. Jackie frowned – the attitude was coming back. Surely he was ready for his afternoon medication? Eric stood up, 'I'm sorry – I'm just not really hungry.

*

Jackie was excited – it had been a long time since anyone asked her out on a date. There was that pilot she met when she flew to Atlanta for the TV promo – he was nice but not someone she would date a second time. That was months ago!

She slid into the lacy white sundress and it fluttered down around her knees. The dress was formfitting and skimmed her hips and bust without being obvious. She had some silver hoops that matched perfectly. Jackie was happy and her reflection in the mirror told her that this was just what she needed.

She was dating a college professor – how cool was that? She found her white pumps with a nice heel and touched up her lipstick. As she twirled in front of the hall mirror, she decided that this was the perfect dress for the perfect afternoon.

*

Eric was in the kitchen when Dale strode up to the door. His corvette was parked in the driveway next to the van. The red paint was shined to a gloss and he had obviously detailed the tires. He knocked on the patio glass and waved at Eric. Instead of waiting for Eric to open the door, Dale just walked it.

"Hey man, saw the cast. Don't bother getting up – I know that's gotta hurt." Dale shook Eric's hand like they were old friends. So I guess you're going to be laid up the entire summer. Speaking of getting laid, where's my date?"

Eric wanted to punch him. "Dale, she's my friend. Can you cool it on the _getting laid _stuff?"

Dale looked like he was thinking about it. "Well, I'll try, but if she's as hot as Greg says…" Jackie chose that moment to walk into the kitchen and Dale was frozen to the spot. "Damn, if you're Jackie then I'm in heaven."

Jackie looked puzzled. "Are you Dale?" Dale stood up and walked a circle around her taking mental inventory. He took her hand and kissed it. "Did it hurt?"

She looked at him. "Did what hurt?" _What was he talking about? _

Dale smiled that smarmy grin of his. "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"

Eric groaned internally when he heard Jackie giggle. _What a lame pickup line_! She did a little curtsy. "I'm Jackie and you are taking me where?"

Dale looked at the sexy little sundress and those long tan legs. "I'm taking you to an outdoor bistro where we can have some privacy and seafood. How does that sound?"

Jackie smiled – dang she looked pretty! Eric couldn't keep his eyes off her. She replied, "That sounds good. Let me get my purse and we can go." She exited through the living room doors and Dale hissed. "Yes! She's hot! She's a hottie!"

Eric deadpanned. "You don't have to get so excited."

Dale grinned. "This is going to be memorable dude. They'll be talking about me all year when school starts. Hey, while we're out talking in romantic _tones_, you have fun here buddy!"

Jackie came back through the swinging doors with her straw handbag. A big yellow sunflower adorned on the side winked at Eric as she walked past the table. Dale held out his elbow which she wrapped her hand around his bicep. She looked back, "Eric, Fez will be by in a couple of hours to make dinner. Have fun!"

Eric could only watch as Dale opened the car door and Jackie slid in the passenger seat. He ran around the front and gave Eric a "thumbs up" sign and jumped in the driver's seat. The corvette peeled out of the driveway and Eric dropped his head in his hands. Shit.

*

The champagne tasted great – the grilled shrimp was great – the conversation was not. Dale liked to talk. He liked to talk about himself. A lot! Jackie rested her chin in her hand as he detailed the outcome of the divorce.

"So, I told the lawyer that if she hadn't cheated on me first, then I wouldn't have been forced to cheat on her."

Jackie tried to smother a yawn. "But if you hadn't admitted to cheating, things might have been better in your favor."

Dale agreed, "Yeah, but she had pictures I didn't know about so I just had to say it. It's better to be honest isn't it?" Dale poured more champagne into her fluted glass. The sun was starting to set which made for a romantic setting. "Did you enjoy your dinner?"

She smiled. "Yes, it was very good."

Dale grinned, "They say that seafood in an aphrodisiac."

"Really, I hadn't heard that one. " She confessed. The warm air and the champagne were making her relaxed and sleepy. She closed her eyes briefly and felt Dale take her hand, his thumb rubbing circles in her palm suggestively. She quickly opened her eyes and accidentally on purpose spilled her champagne onto the table cloth. Dale stood up quickly so he wouldn't get the liquid on his pants.

"Oh my gosh, I must have had more to drink than I thought." She faked. Dale looked at her and she threw some charm at him. "Would you mind taking me back? It's been such a long day."

Dale relented to her beauty and charm. "Sure let me get the check."

*

"So you let her go on a date with a horn dog?" Fez asked incredibly. Eric argued, "I didn't _let_ her. I left the decision up to her."

"Aiiy – don't you know that Jackie will eat up any kind of attention or flattery thrown at her? She loves it just like I love candy. And then Eric Forman sends her off with the Candy Master!" Fez paced the small green and orange kitchen floor. "If Mr. Red was here he'd put his foot in your ass."

Eric was impressed at Fez's protection of his business partner. "Fez …so you and Jackie…never…."

Fez glared at him. "No, we are friends and besides, she's like my sister. Have you ever wanted to do it with your sister?"

"Um..No!" Eric said slightly disgusted.

"Well, I would like to do it with _your_ sister. Where is my blond goddess Laurie Forman?"

Eric stood up and stretched his good leg. "Last we heard, she was in Europe with boyfriend number 14."

"Ah…that is sad…she could have stayed married to Fez and been happy for the rest of her life." He shook his brown head sadly. "So what would you like Fez to make for dinner."

Eric really liked the chicken salad he had at lunch but was dubious whether Fez could cook or not. Fez held up a finger. "I can have a pizza delivered! That is what I can cook."

"That sounds like the best idea I've heard all day!"

*

They walked slowly back to the corvette. Dale kept trying to catch her hand but Jackie wasn't _that_ drunk. She just kept trying to keep him talking about himself so she could go home and take off these heels.

"Then your next natural step would be assistant coach."

Dale grinned. "Yes. That comes with a significant pay increase of course. I was thinking of upgrading my corvette to the 94 edition." He unlocked the door and Jackie quickly slid inside and smiled her thanks.

*

The pizza was great – the beer was cool and refreshing and when Fez suggested kicking back on the patio, Eric was all for it. Fez gave Eric some back history about happenings to his old friends that Eric never knew.

"So he's a good candidate for the hair club for men?"

Fez laughed. "Hyde's hair is so thin I could see his scalp. I offered to trim it so it would look denser and he freaked on me. He looks like an old balding rocker."

Eric laughed. "I would have liked to see that." The sun had finally set behind the Pinciotti's old house and the air cooled immediately. Fez sighed, "I miss hanging out here. We were stupid kids but your folks made it seem so normal."

Eric nodded his head. "The doctors said that if Dad recovers from this stroke, he has a good chance of living longer but he'll never be able to move back. It turns out he likes the warm sunny weather of Miami."

Fez got up for another beer. "You want me to turn on the porch light?"

"Nah, let's enjoy the night. It feels good out here."

Fez grinned. "Ohhhh…you are waiting for Mr. Sleep-With-Me to bring Jackie home."

Eric almost blushed. "No I'm not. I'm just hanging out with my best friend Fez…however you pronounce your last name." Fez laughed and walked into the kitchen.

*

The corvette turned into the Forman driveway and parked behind the van. Dale laid an arm along the back of Jackie's seat. "Jackie, I just have to tell you that you are one of the most beautiful women I've been with in a long time."

Jackie wanted to be impressed but she could tell this was just a line. "Oh Dale, you say the sweetest things. In fact, you barely let a girl get a sentence in the conversation." Jackie said it so succinctly that Dale didn't even realize it was a major burn.

Dale made a big show out of opening her door and insisted on walking her to the house. Jackie caught a glimpse of Fez and stopped short of the patio. She put her hand on Dale's chest and he covered it with both hands.

"Oh Jackie, you don't know how sexy you are."

"Dale, this is 'good night'. You're not coming in for coffee or anything else."

"But baby, I spent a ton of money on that dinner and champagne."

Jackie pulled her hand from his chest. "Do you want me to reimburse you? I thought you were a gentleman."

He touched her arm. "I'm sorry if I came on to strong. How about a good night kiss instead?"

*

Fez and Eric had moved into the kitchen but kept the doors open. Fez rolled his eyes at the "…how sexy you are…" comment. The next thing they heard was a "Yow! You kicked me, you bitch!" and then the corvette squealing out of the driveway.

Jackie wandered in with her head down in defeat. Fez came around and gave her a hug. "Oh Fezzie, where are all the good guys in the world?"

Fez consoled the sad brunette. "They're out there. Maybe Mr. Right will find you."

She smiled slightly, "Think so? Because I'm not finding him...I'll talk to you later. Good night Eric." She waved as she walked past him.

Eric turned to Fez. "How can she not find a guy? She only got prettier since high school."

"Aiiy, Eric…you don't understand. My Jackie is looking for the whole package. Someone who loves her understands her and wants to be with her forever. I don't always understand her but then I don't want to be her husband either."

Eric frowned. "Well isn't that want us guys want too?"

Fez grinned. "No, I just want someone to keep my bed warm until I get old. Maybe I'll get married then." Fez handed him another beer. "You should think about that before you get too much older my friend."

*

Jackie had fallen asleep on top of the bed fully dressed. Fez motioned for Eric to come closer. "Take off her shoes and I'll take off her make up. She will freak out if she wakes up with raccoon eyes."

Eric slid the high heel off her small foot and set it on the bed. He grabbed the slim ankle of the other foot and removed the second shoe. "Hey Fez, I can't carry and walk. Can you put these somewhere?"

Fez stuffed the dirty tissue in his pocket and came around the side of the bed. "She's had some booze, let her sleep it off – she'll be fine tomorrow." Eric followed Fez into the kitchen so he could lock the door.

"Fez let me ask just one question before you go."

"What would that be Eric?"

"When did Jackie get so hot?"

Fez shook his head and laughed as he walked to his car. Eric shrugged, "What did I say?"

*


	11. Chapter 11 Call to Mom

**Author Note: **_A little leftover from Dale's date and stuff….._

**Chapter 11 - **_Call to Mom_

Jackie woke up and the moon was high in the sky. She was still wearing her clothes but her shoes were somewhere else. God what a horrible date! The only part she liked was getting dressed up and maybe driving in his car but then he tries to put the moves on and ick!

She backed up to sit against the headboard. She could still feel a buzz from the champagne. How could Eric sleep so soundly while she was furious like this? She picked up her pillow and threw it at him. This was one of her prettiest dresses and it was wasted on a jerk like that! She threw another pillow. "Eric... wake-up."

Eric woke up when the third pillow hit his head. He lifted the pillow with his head. "What are you doing? It's midnight-thirty…" he said peering at the clock. Jackie glared at him. "How can you sleep when I'm fuming?"

Eric rose up on his elbow. "How was I supposed to know you were fuming?"

"You could have asked me." She said impudently. Eric grinned sleepily. "Did Jackie have a bad date?" Oops – another pillow to the face. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Why are you fuming?"

She turned on her side to face him. "Look at me. Am I not pretty enough? Do I repulse you?

"Why would do you have to ask me that? You know you're gorgeous and you don't repulse me."

She scooted a little closer. "We've lived in the same house for two weeks right?"

Jackie was close enough that he could feel the heat coming from her body. "Yeah, we have – yep, two long weeks." He could still feel the pull of the painkiller telling him it was okay to go back to sleep.

She lowered her voice, "So in the whole _two weeks_ you never thought about throwing a pass at me?"

"Jackie…."

"Do you like…girls?"

"Of course I do."

She scooted a little closer. "You just don't think about _me_. You're like a eunuch."

He blinked his sleepy eyes. "Me? A… eunuch? Are you crazy?" Jackie scooted closer still. "Well, most guys would come unglued if I got this close…" She touched her hand to his chest and heard him inhale sharply. That made her smile. "I still got it. Thanks Eric."

Before she could roll back, Eric grabbed her arm. "What was that about?"

Jackie smiled and looked at his hand holding her arm. He had nice hands, long strong fingers – a man's hand. She looked up at him with her big colored eyes locking onto his green ones. "That was to prove to myself that you were human and I was still irresistible."

Eric could feel his resolve weakening. She did have pretty eyes and she was damn near irresistible. "So were you testing me or just making yourself feel better?"

Jackie reached out and smoothed a wrinkle in his forehead. "A little of both I guess. Maybe I was feeling a little insecure. I had a crummy date and I was expecting a great good night kiss and didn't get either." She looked back at his eyes. "It was sort of a bummer except I got to wear my new dress."

Eric happened to look down and found that this new dress displayed more cleavage than he was ready to look at. "Jackie, I can barely deal with you well on a day by day basis, but when you start making me think you're hotter than…well hot, I'm kind of crippled here. Yeah, any other day, I'd be trying to jump your bones." He looked down at his leg, "When I get this thing off, I'll be chasing you up and down the stairs okay?"

She smiled. For some obscure reason that made her feel better. She still annoyed him but he had stopped hating her. And he definitely was attracted! She scooted a little closer until they were touching and she laid her head on shoulder.

"Jackie, you can't be comfortable like this." He argued feebly. Jackie could feel his heart beating and the steady thumping was comforting and his body was warm and she was sleepy. Eric tried to reason with her again but the booze caught up and she passed out on his chest. He sighed and wrapped his casted arm around her shoulder and surrendered to the painkiller. His last thoughts were, "This isn't so bad."

*

Sunday morning came and the pair overslept. Eric woke first wiping Jackie's hair from his face. She had drooled on his tee shirt and was still sleeping. _How much did she drink last night? _ He carefully tried to free his casted arm without waking her.

As he started to rise on his elbows, she sighed and placed her hand back over his heart. There was something gentle and simplistic in the gesture that touched him. Two lonely souls in an empty house trying to make the best of a bad situation.

It was going to be wonderful and strange when the casts came off. Just the freedom of taking a shower standing up would be great but that was still weeks away from happening.

He lay back down on the pillow, abstractly combing her hair with his fingers. So Jackie created a shampoo. Now she was creating something new in the basement and he couldn't even go down to see what it was. Damn.

But then like Fez had said, he was lucky to be alive. Now he had to make sure his mom didn't find out until his dad was improving. Kitty would fly to Point Place in a heartbeat but Red needed her more. Eric had Jackie and Fez to help him out. How strange it was that he and his dad were in a situation where they had to rely on other people to help them do everything!

Jackie woke up slowly aware that she was still lying on Eric's shoulder. His arm was around her shoulder and for that moment it felt nice. Then she could feel the leftover champagne taste clinging to her teeth and the pretty lace dress wasn't too comfortable. She lifted her head to see Eric looking down at her.

"I didn't do anything embarrassing did I?" she asked.

Eric grinned. "Well, I have to take offense…you did call me a eunuch."

Jackie's face turned red. "Oh god, that was the champagne talking. I'm not a good drunk these days."

Eric smiled down at her pretty face. "No you're not and you drool."

She backed up and looked at the wet spot on his shirt. "Damn, there goes my waking up attractive reputation. I'll wash that for you." Eric pulled his arm back to his chest. _Ahh, that feels better!_ Jackie sat back on her heels. "If you talk to your friend Greg again, tell him he has horrible friends."

Eric laughed. "I don't think Dale will be back. It sounded like you wounded him pretty good."

She smiled. "A swift kick in the shins with my pointy shoes always works." She slid off the mattress. "I'm going to clean up and change. Don't forget to call your mom today."

It was Sunday! She was expecting an update report and she would be waiting for his call. Better to get it over with sooner than later. He dialed the Miami number and heard it ring.

"Hello?"

"Oh hi honey… how are you? I'm glad you called. Did you keep our number?"

"Yeah, it's still under Red Forman but I'll change it later. How's dad?

"Oh Eric, the therapy is working and he's saying more full sentences! He called the doctor a dumbass! I was so happy!" Eric smiled into the phone. Dad was on the mend! "That's great mom. His heart is okay?"

Kitty tittered into the phone. "Oh, his heart is healthier than a horse. The stroke just took him down and now that he's getting some of his ability back it's just the best thing. How's the house?"

"It's good mom. I'm cleaning up and wondered what to do with all the stuff you didn't take. "

"Honey, we don't care. Keep some stuff for your kids or the kids _you'll have later_, Hahahaha…what ever you don't want, I'm sure Pastor Dave will take donations."

"Mom, would you be offended if I did a little remodeling?"

"Oh honey, no….it's your house now. It's all paid for and you can live it forever, that was always your dad's plan or you can sell it. It's entirely your decision. Although, I always envisioned the Forman family living forever in Point Place. It's yours sweetie. Do what you want."

It was so nice listening to his mom babble on. He missed that and he missed her dashing here and there feeding people and cooking and the smells that waited for him when he walked in the kitchen. He missed the Kitty Forman feel to the house.

"Hey mom, how have you been? I mean I'm glad dad is improving but it must be a little hard on you taking care of him."

"Oh honey, I'm doing just fine. Yes, it can be difficult talking care of Red, but I love him and I know he'd do the same thing for me. He didn't want to have a stroke but can you imagine what he would do if I wasn't around? He'd be lost. Pastor Dave was really the only friend he had that could lend a hand."

_And I got Jackie - Small world between Wisconsin and Florida._

"Mom, do you need me to send you any money?"

"No sweetie. Your dad's pension and our savings are just fine. We live in a retirement _villa_ – not village like in Africa, it's like a little Spanish pueblo – very chic. Hahahaha. Aunt Paula stays in one room and once in a while Uncle Marty comes down and takes your dad fishing. We are doing fine."

"Mom, I just want you to know I really miss you."

Kitty sniffed on the other end of the phone. "I miss you too son. Call me again next week and I'll fill you in on the week. I love you sweetheart, bye-bye!"

*

Eric hung up the phone as Jackie was coming down the stairs. "How's your dad?"

Eric looked up and smiled. "He called the doctor a dumbass.'

Jackie grinned. "He's talking?" She pulled her pillows from across the bed and tidied her blankets. Eric swung his leg off the mattress. "A little, but dumbass is easier to say than some words. Figures don't it?"

Jackie chuckled. 'Yeah, that was one of his favorite words. Hey, I'm going to make breakfast, clean up your mess okay?"

*

"So I asked mom what to do with all the leftover stuff and she told me to keep it….wait, she had the audacity to say 'keep some stuff for your kids or the kids you'll have later' but basically I can call Pastor Dave to come get it or whatever."

Jackie flipped the pancake over the grill. 'You could have a yard sale. That could get you some extra cash. Imagine what the property taxes are going to be on this place."

Eric hadn't thought about that. No rent or house payment? Cool. Utilities and taxes on a 3 bedroom 2 bath house – not cool. "That's a good idea. Would you help me?"

Jackie held the spatula in her hand. The idea of getting rid of all this green and orange was appealing…maybe talking down the wallpaper and painting the old walls a nice crisp white….vertical blinds in the living room….horizontal blinds in the bathroom…._wait, this isn't your house!_

"Sure, I can help. We should let Pastor Dave come look at some of the old furniture – maybe he can give it to the needy and you can use that for a tax deduction."

"See, that's why I need you! You know about stuff like this."

Jackie blushed at the compliment and slid some pancakes on plate and carried them to the table. "When did you want to get started?"

"Well, not right away, my leg is still killing me but I figured I could take a little bit at a time - like I want to get rid of the carpeting."

"Oh thank god! Orange shag is SO not in fashion. I bet there's some nice wood under that ugly rug." Jackie poured maple syrup on her pancake.

Eric grinned. "Mom thought the carpet kept the house warm but Dad thought that's why they had central air…so you think this is a good idea?" Jackie nodded her head. "You should call someone and get an estimate – if it's too expensive, we can do it ourselves."

"Yay… no more vacuuming." He smiled.

"No more dust!" she agreed

"I'll make some calls tomorrow."

Jackie spent the rest of the day in the basement while Eric rested on the bed. He tried to watch the baseball game but the Orioles were playing and that made him think of Greg Wheat and his comments about Jackie.

Eric flipped the channel until he found a "Making of Star Wars" documentary. He had a long day ahead of him.

*

Wednesday morning, Jackie called her friend Teena to confirm their doubles match that evening. The game was in Kenosha against the regular players in the group. Jackie found that the tennis club was preferable to the snooty tennis players at the Country Club. Plus, Jackie Burkhart had a mean serve.

She was really looking forward to the game and hadn't told Eric yet but she was going to spend the night in her own apartment. She and Teena usually went out after the game and Jackie didn't want to drive all the way back to Point Place that late at night.

Eric noticed that she was extraordinarily happy that day. She hummed through breakfast, she sang while vacuuming, she whistled making lunch and smiled as she made an early dinner.

"Eric, all you have to do, it pop this in the microwave for 3 minutes. I won't be here tonight and I think you can handle one night alone just fine."

Eric froze. Alone? "Where will you be?"

"Oh, twice a month I play tennis with my girlfriend and we get done too late for me to drive back. I'll leave you my home number so you can call if you need anything."

"I didn't know you played tennis."

She smiled. "Eric there's a lot you don't know about me. I have a mean serve – I've been clocked at 90 miles an hour. If my opponent isn't paying attention… somebody's gonna get hurt!"

She wrapped his dinner plate in cellophane and put in the trusty brown refrigerator. "All you have to do is heat it, put in on the counter here and you can perch on the stool over there. No carrying anything. Okay?"

Eric was trying to wrap his mind about being alone in the house for the first time. "Dinner, heat and counter- Got it."

Jackie patted him on the cheek. "I've got to go change. Make sure you take your prescriptions at 7:00 o'clock okay?"

Eric tried to follow her through the kitchen doors but she was already headed up the stairs before he got to the bed. He looked down at the telephone to see she had left her phone number on the pad next to his water bottles.

Eric swung himself upon the bed and leaned against the headboard. He wasn't hungry yet so he made the grand plan of dinner to be followed by Wonder Years and then Doogie Howser and if he wasn't completely knocked out then Home Improvement would be on at 9:00 o'clock so the evening wouldn't be a total waste.

Jackie came bounding down the stairs wearing a tiny little tennis dress with white socks and shoes. She put her hair into the cute little pony tail and had a racket in her hand.

She stopped at the foot of the bed tapping her lip. "Oh, let me give you Fez's home number in case you can't reach me."

Eric wanted to play tennis. He wanted out of this damn cast. He loved the tennis dress and the long tan legs that disappeared beneath the hem. He watched as she scratched Fez's phone number onto the pad beside the bed and he sighed. "Have a good time."

She smiled. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow!"

Damn!

*


	12. Chapter 12 First Night Alone

**Author Note: **_A longer chapter than usual but totally worth it! (A slight hint of smuttiness…..)_

**Chapter 12 – **First Night Alone

Eric muted Doogie Howser during the commercial and listened. He could hear the central air click on and other than that there was no other sound in the house. It was a little bit daunting – he truly was all alone. Un-mute. Doogie was brilliant and his lab coat was just a little bit too big but Eric didn't mind – there was conversation in the show and it made him feel less lonely.

He hopped himself into the kitchen and reheated dinner but it wasn't the same without Jackie's company. It was like being a single guy again. Wait_, Eric, you are a single guy – knock it off!_

He rinsed his plate and fork and crutched it back to bed. Tim Taylor was talking to his sons about the joys of sausages and monster trucks against the laugh track on TV. Eric got into bed and opened his bottle of water. He looked at his pill bottle and wondered if he could skip a night without the pain pill. Eric opted to only take the antibiotic. He was getting his new glasses tomorrow and wanted his eye to be healed.

This would have been the time Jackie would come downstairs smelling like vanilla and humming, cozying up against her pillows to watch TV with him. God, he was missing her company already and he should be relishing the time alone!

He dozed off sometime after the news came on.

*

Jackie finished her third ice tea and felt more invigorated that she had in weeks. Teena was dipping a tortilla chip in her salsa, "You know Jackie, when you get done with this babysitting job, I have may have found Mr. Right."

Jackie raised her eyebrow. "Really. I've already told you about Mr. Mistake and you're trying to set me up with someone new?"

Teena curled her hair behind her ears. "He's my brother's friend. He went to Harvard and practices law here in Kenosha."

"Well, I've never dated a lawyer…"

Teena smiled. "I could arrange for him to play doubles with us the week after next. You could check him out before an actual date happens. I'll just have my brother bring him along. What do you think?"

Jackie dipped a chip in the salsa. "Hey, I'm a single girl…why not!"

*

Jackie woke from a pleasant dream when the phone rang. She looked at the clock – it was after one in the morning. "Hello?" she answered sleepily.

"Hey, it's me."

"Eric, do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah-sorry… I couldn't sleep."

"Why not?" she asked irritably.

"Because you aren't here fuming at me."

She laughed. "I was drunk. Just disregard anything I said that night." She put the receiver next to her ear and snuggled deeper under the covers.

"How was your game?"

"We lost – but it was close. I don't think I'll be going to Wimbledon this year." She joked.

"This house is too big for one person."

"Well, maybe that's why your folks had you and Laurie. Fill it up with kids and their noisy friends."

Nostalgia surged through Eric at that moment. Chasing Laurie down the stairs with his water gun, hiding behind Kitty's apron while she made cookies, Red showing him how to ride his bike….Eric's throat choked up a bit. "Yeah, this is a house that needs a family. What am I doing here?"

Across the miles, her voice was like a soothing balm. "You are doing just what your mom wanted you to. She gave you a house – it's up to you to make it a home. Find that wife and have those kids – give your mom some grandkids. Then the Forman house can live on forever."

"Sounds good in theory but I am still looking for that girl that wants a twitchy college professor who loves his mommy."

Jackie laughed, "Eric, you aren't twitchy anymore. Lots of girls would like a college professor."

"Okay… thanks for talking to me – I didn't mean to keep you up all night..."

Jackie yawned. "Excuse me. Unless you want me to talk dirty over the phone, I'm going back to sleep."

"We could try that…."

"No and NO! You're crazy!" She chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Eric waited until she hung up and he got the dial tone. She was nice and she was right – he didn't know her, but was he too late to get the chance_? "…If you're not interested, there are tons of guys who would be. She is too hot to be single..."_ Thanks for the reminder, Greg!

*

"I look like a doofus." He said looking into the mirror. He turned his head to the left and then the right. He turned to the side where Jackie sat. His Ray Bans had been fitted with prescription lenses but where Eric thought he looked like a dork, Jackie thought he looked like Indiana Jones.

"Well, I think it's a good look for you. Let me see again."

He turned towards her and realized that his vision was improved 100 times. Jackie's pretty face came into focus and she was just that much more gorgeous. He could feel his mouth get dry and looked back at his reflection. Okay, he just wasn't used to looking at himself with glasses.

"You remind me of Harrison Ford."

"Han Solo?" he asked hopefully.

"Professor Indiana Jones…please note that I said '_professor'_…"

Eric grinned. "Yeah, I guess these make me look smarter."

"Oh don't go falling in love with yourself." She smirked. "You'll look tons better when those green and yellow bruises fade. She reached out and touched the scar by his eye and he didn't flinch. "It's looking better. Friday they take out the stitches."

Eric looked at himself in the mirror again. Yeah, he looked swarthy, he was handsome. He could see again! "Hey Jackie. What are we doing this afternoon?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "This was it. Tomorrow I have to get food for the barbecue. Why?"

"Well, I've got new glasses. I'd love to see a movie. I mean I'd really see the movie this time."

Eric was like a kid with a new toy. He'd take the glasses off and put them back on. It was like night and day. She pushed his wheelchair out the door and to the van. "Well there is a new Meg Ryan movie that was just released this month that I'd like to see."

Eric hoisted himself into the van. "Yeah what is it?"

"It's called Sleepless in Seattle..." she was crossing her fingers that he'd want to see that and not Jurassic Park. "Sounds good. I think the theatre has wheelchair ramps."

Jackie smiled and buckled her seatbelt. "You know, I think it does!"

*

The theater was dark and the coming attractions had already started. Eric was holding the drinks and popcorn as Jackie wheeled him up the ramp. Fortunately the theatre was not too full for a matinee show and the usher showed the couple where the wheelchair accessible seats were. Jackie thanked him and then pondered the situation.

"Look, here are regular seats. If you sit here and put your leg on the wheelchair seat, then you can rest it at the same time. I'll sit here on your right so nobody can bang your leg."

"That sounds good and the movie seats look a lot more comfortable that this freaking chair!" Somebody hollered out "SHHH!" at the pair and Jackie stood up and looked at the audience. "I'm with a disabled person; you shush or get down here and tell it to my face!"

Eric quickly sat down in the theater seat and ducked his head. Jackie exhaled loudly, "Really, some people can be so rude!" She unfolded a napkin and set it down on her seat and then actually sat down. Eric handed her the diet Coke and whispered, "Thank you."

They watched as Sam and Annie lived separate single lives with the help of Sam's son, Jonah trying to bring them together. When they just missed each other at the SeaTac airport Jackie grabbed Eric's arm. "Oh, he sees her but she doesn't see him." Eric kind of liked that she was holding his arm.

Eric loved that he could see the screen with his new glasses – and sitting in a movie seat was normal. Right now, he was just a guy with a broken leg sitting with a pretty girl in the movies.

When Sam saw Annie standing in traffic Eric leaned his head towards Jackie, "How does he know she's right there?" Jackie smiled, "its love…he just knows."

Eric put his arm on the back of Jackie's seat and they shared the popcorn and waited breathlessly while Annie was holding Jonah's backpack at the top of the Empire State Building

"…_it's you…"_

_  
"It's me."_

"_Are you Annie?"_

"_You're__ Annie?"_

Jackie just started crying. "Oh my god this so romantic…" Eric looked at the smiling couple on the screen. "But they didn't even kiss." Jackie looked over at him. "But they touched hands and they _knew_….oh my… gosh… total strangers and they _knew …_ it was…destiny!"

The house lights went up and Jackie wiped the tear from her eyes. "I love this movie." She stood up and put the brakes on the wheelchair so Eric could hop around and sit back down.

Jackie behind the chair waiting for the rest of the movie patrons to leave so she could maneuver the chair without Eric accidently kicking someone. Eric leaned his head back. "This was nice. I can't remember the last time I went to a show."

Jackie followed the last couple and sighed aloud - Sam and Annie – two strangers that felt a connection – what a great love story.

*

Eric woke from his nap feeling refreshed. Was it because he had a great afternoon or was it because he wasn't alone in the house? It didn't matter; he had such a great day! He could smell garlic bread and some oregano and was guessing spaghetti or lasagna. Kitty Forman was a good cooking teacher!

Jackie looked up as he crutched it to the kitchen table. "Are those new glasses still working okay?" She was dicing onions and slid them into the frying pan. Eric could actually see the steam rising from the stove. "I thought I could see okay before, but now that I'm used to wearing them, I'm seeing stuff I missed before."

She smiled and walked to the fridge and pulled out a couple of beers. "Here, this goes good with my pasta penne. She popped the top and sat down across from him. "So….."

Eric didn't know what to say either. "Hey, have I said thank you for all this work you're doing for me? I know you didn't really want to be here but I appreciate it. I really do – can you see Fez putting up with my sorry ass for three months?"

Jackie laughed and choked on her beer. "No – I can't see you living with Fez for three days without going crazy!"

"I guess today finally felt like a normal day. Hanging out – going to a movie – having dinner with a friend…."

Jackie smiled. "Yes, it was a normal summer day for two 30 plus year olds. I'm shopping tomorrow for the barbecue. Do you want to come with me?"

Eric's eyes brightened. "Are we going to the same grocery store?"

Jackie smiled, "Yes, you can command the electric power chairs."

"Yes!" Eric's day got just that much better.

*

The vanilla and lavender scent wafted down the staircase. Eric breathed in deeply; he really missed that scent last night. Jackie pounced on the bed in a two piece silk pajama set. The shorts were not indecent but they didn't cover as much as her regular nightgown did. Eric tried not to look too much!

She plumped her pillows and sat back expectantly. Finally, she reached over and grabbed the remote. "Don't you remember that I always watch MacGyver on Thursdays?"

Eric tried to grab the remote back. "Hey, that doesn't come on until 9:00. I'm still watching The Simpsons!" Jackie held tight to the plastic control box. "The Simpsons is a cartoon. I don't think Bart is going to worry if you miss him for the night."

Eric looked at her, "Well, you see it's like this….I have a thing for Marge's blue hair….you being a beautician and all can appreciate that…" Jackie's lips curled into a smile. "Not fair appealing to my sense of fashion."

Eric took the opportunity to snatch the remote out of her hand and held it close to his chest. She rose up on her knees, "Oh no you don't." She crossed the "grand canyon" and crowded him on the bed. "I can push you off this bed so easily…."

Eric looked up and saw something in her eyes that he couldn't recognize. "But you wouldn't…"

"You don't know that." She challenged.

"No…but I'm the wounded party here…I should get to choose the channel."

"Pfft… wounded my ass. You have a broken leg and arm." She dismissed his attempt at pity. "I _can_ make you give it to me willingly."

Eric sat up a little taller at the challenge. "Oh really?" She nodded her head confidently. Eric was having too much fun to give the remote back with small idle threats. "Make me." He dared her.

When he least expected it, she threw a leg over his thighs and straddled him. "I don't think you're going anywhere….are you?" Jackie started turning on the charm. She inched her way up until she was over his lap and Eric was frozen. She locked her blue/green eyes on him and started unbuttoning her silk top. His eyes flickered down and then quickly back up again. Softy, she said, "Who told you that you could look?"

Eric licked his dry lips. "Sorry."

She opened the second button, her eyes daring him to look. "Eric…the remote…."

He shook his head no. His hand was tightly clenching the plastic box as she undid the third and last button. Her top swung open and he blinked when he saw a tiny hoop piercing the skin above her belly button. Inwardly he groaned – _how freaking sexy was that!_

She bent forward, her hand inching towards his, making sure his eyes were focused on the unbuttoned top. She feigned a yawn and stretched. "God, I'm soooo tired." Eric's eyes were drawn to breasts so perfect he forgot how to breathe.

She finger walked along his ribcage listening to the change in his breathing, knowing he wasn't as unaffected as he pretended to be. She took his left hand, cast and all and cradled it to her chest. "I just wanted the remote control." She said softly.

She leaned forward into his body and her softly parted lips touched his. He closed his eyes and groaned as she bit his bottom lip and gave it a gentle tug. He could feel her breasts against his chest and he reached his good hand behind her head to hold the kiss. Her tiny hands were stroking his chest and she whispered against his lips. "Eric….."

"Jackie…."

She smiled against his mouth and grabbed the remote that lay abandoned on the mattress. "I think I won." She rolled off before he had time to realize what just happened. Eric closed his eyes, "Not fair…you cheated."

Jackie buttoned her top and sat back comfortably against her pillows. 'No I did not, you willingly gave it up. It's like you said…but I have a thing for MacGyver…."

Eric looked over at the giggling vixen. "Okay, it's not fair that you held me down and teased me. Jackie looked over at his sad face. "I told you not to look but did you listen? NO… you gave it up willingly."

Eric had to admit she was good. Now that his heartbeat was back to normal he could breathe easier.

"Oh …and Eric?" She said as she flipped to the right channel. "You definitely are _not_ a eunuch!"

*


	13. Chapter 13 Barbecue with the Kelso's

**Author Note**_: It's always fun when the Kelso's are in town….._

**Chapter 13 – **Barbecue with the Kelso's

The morning started with a trip to Dr. Bradley for a check up. He removed the stitches in Eric's cheek and was pleased with the healing around his eye socket. Eric was sent to X-Ray for films to see how the tibia was healing. Dr. Bradley determined that Eric's arm was healing nicely so he was sent off and the arm was put in a short cast which left his hand free of the bulky plaster.

The leg cast had to stay but with his left hand free, the crutches were easier to use. He stopped by the therapy room and got a pamphlet on using both crutches; he wanted to start climbing stairs and not be confined to the chair.

Jackie was in the waiting room making notes in her book again when he was rolled in. Eric smiled – she was the prettiest sight in the whole reception area and she was there for him. "Hey, I got a reprieve."

Jackie looked up at the short cast. "Hey, now you can carry and walk! That's progress!" She started making a mental list of the chores he could accomplish now. This was good! "What about your leg?"

"Not so good, there's still some swelling and I gave to come back next month for new x-rays." She stood up and stowed her book. "Let's go shopping then."

Eric was glad that he remembered that shopping was at the grocery store and not the mall. This grown up Jackie didn't _hang_ around the mall like Jackie of the past.

*

"Steaks and baked potatoes or baked beans?" she asked. Eric looked at the can and started getting hungry. "Both? I mean Kelso's coming and a bean joke is going to be inevitable." Jackie put the can in Eric's basket. "You're right. He's going to find something funny about anything we cook. Say, can you zip on over to the liquor section and get some beer?"

Jackie shopped the produce department while Eric got beverages and a bag of ice. Standing by the bags of potatoes, Jackie could see Eric grinning as he read all the types of beer with his glasses on and off. It was kind of endearing to watch.

Maybe if she trimmed just the back of his hair and left the top a little shaggy….he had good muscle tone….he was strong, she felt that when he held her arm. He was attractive…._what if he wheeled over to the bread aisle behind her and pushed her up against the shelves…kissed her….whispered sweet words…_Jackie had to wake herself up – she was perspiring! Why was she thinking like _that_ about Eric Forman?

She shook her head to clear the cobwebs and pushed her cart to the snack aisle. Eric would find her when he was done playing with the beer.

*

Jackie was putting the groceries away and noticed that Eric was really helping out. He was able to carry a few of the plastic bags by the handles and set them on the counter for her. She turned around a couple of times and nearly bumped into this chest by accident or design. She had forgotten how tall he was – most of the time he was in the chair or in a sitting position.

Eric couldn't stop thinking about that remote control winning kiss. If she was just playing around…what would a real kiss feel like? Right at that moment watching her being all domestic, made him feel like a puddle of goo. He took a deep breath and hot footed it into the living room for his afternoon medications. He pulled the leg up on the pillows and got comfortable.

Comfortable and boring - If it wasn't for the damn pain in his leg, he could be talking to her in the kitchen. She'd be laughing and smiling and he could talk to her. The kitchen door swung open and Jackie peeked in to see if he was asleep. "Good, you're awake. Can you open this jar for me? I'm trying to make a relish plate for tomorrow but the pickle lid is too tight."

She handed him the jar of dill pickles and he easily loosened the lid with a "pop". She smiled. "My hero. Thanks!" And she whisked back into the kitchen_. _

My hero_…what if…she came running down the stairs in a silky black gown…..and she couldn't get the zipper up….and she asked if he could help…..but his hands slid inside the dress by accident…touched the belly ring….and the soft skin around her ribcage….STOP!!!! _Eric brought himself out of the daydream. That was a fantasy for a person with two legs – still it sounded good! He'd have to tuck that one away for a rainy day.

*

Eric never heard Jackie wake up. He was halfway to the shower when he saw her outside cleaning the barbecue grill. There was a note for him on the stove;

_Eric_

_Breakfast is in one of those cereal boxes_

_Jackie_

Damn and he liked having bacon with his breakfast! He turned on the shower and stepped into the hated garbage bag and wrapped plastic around his arm. He couldn't wait for the day he could just soak in tub. Still, Michael Kelso was coming over and he hadn't seen his old friend in years. It would be nice to sit around and shoot the breeze. Eric smiled and showered in a hurry. This was going to be a good day.

*

Kelso was so excited to see his old friend he nearly forgot to turn off the ignition. Brooke reached over and took the key and let herself out of the door. Kelso ran for the big hug but Eric reached out first. "Hey man, I don't want to hurt you. This leg is a lethal weapon." Eric joked and Kelso fell into the chair beside him.

"You look good for a guy that turned over in a car three times – wow!" Kelso pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Yeah, I have a buddy in the department that faxed me copies of your report and pictures. All I could say was DAMN!"

Eric grinned; he missed the over the top antics of his old buddy. He faked a punch to Kelso's shoulder. Brooke stepped over and kissed Eric on the cheek. "We haven't seen you since your graduation. How have you been?"

Eric looked up. "Gosh Brooke, you just get prettier with time." He saw the laugh lines around her eyes and her fuller figure. She blushed, "Thanks Eric, I'm going to see if I can help Jackie."

Kelso clapped Eric on the good knee. "Dude, I have some AWESOME stories to tell you!"

*

Jackie looked up from the potato salad. "Brooke! I'm so glad to see you!" Jackie dropped her spoon in the potato salad and went around hugging her friend. Brooke looked at her little friend. "Who are you and where did you put Jackie?

Jackie laughed, "What are you talking about?"

Brooke stepped back and looked at her. "You are wearing an apron. Have you become the Point Place domestic goddess?"

Jackie swatted at Brooke. "No, I didn't want to get mustard on my pants silly girl. Mrs. Forman didn't leave any designer stuff so I had to make do. Come sit with me!"

"How's my god-daughter?"

Brooke smiled. "Grounded - we caught her sneaking out of the house going to Jake Donovan's when she told us she was going to her girlfriends. "

"That's the little boy you don't like right?"

Brooke nodded. "Yeah, I'm afraid that if we tell her she can't too many times she's just going to want to defy us and do it for spite."

"Oh Brooke, you sound just like a mommy!" Jackie teased. It was Brooke's turn to swat Jackie. "Well, she is a teenager and I worry.

*

"…and then I told the animal control dude that if he didn't let the monkey go, I'd have to arrest him! Can you imagine putting a diaper on an adult monkey? The dumb animal would be aggressed to puberty." Kelso explained.

"Er, do you mean regressed to infancy?" Eric replied still laughing. "You know why they put the diaper on don't you?"

Kelso laughed, "Yeah, cuz they like to fling it around but you can't go messing with a monkey's rights to fling poo! I think that's in the constitution or something."

Eric was still laughing. "Hey, did you get that new job you were studying for?"

Kelso shook his head. "Nah, it was an _inside_ job." Eric looked puzzled. Kelso explained further. "It was a job _inside_ the department. I like working outside otherwise I would have said it was an _outside_ job. Dude, it's awesome turning on the sirens and jamming 100 miles an hour to go get donuts and stuff!"

Eric felt like he was 19 years old again and carefree. Kelso was just doing his usual crazy clowning around and all that they needed was the stupid helmet. Brooke came out with cold beers and an extra chair. "Jackie's bringing out some snacks."

Jackie followed Brooke with a tray of deviled eggs, veggies with ranch dip, assorted pickles, crackers and cheese. "Michael hold this, I need to grab that table." Kelso saw a deviled egg tottering close to the edge of the tray and licked it. Eric got a bit grossed out. "Man, why'd you do that?"

He grinned. "I was just marking my territory man. No one is going to eat that one."

Jackie brought a small table back and it was big enough for the tray and the beers. She went back towards the garage and came back carrying the black milk crate. She looked at Eric. "Lift."

He looked down and his cast was touching ground. Grimacing at getting caught, he lifted the leg so Jackie could slide the crate under his heel. Brooke noticed this little exchange but said nothing.

"Hey Eric, have you got the itches yet?"

Brooke and Eric looked at Kelso, "What do you mean?"

Kelso grinned. "Well, I've had several parts of me broken so I know from experience. A few weeks after the cast goes on, your arm or leg, starts to shrivel up because you haven't been using it and then you sweat into it and it starts itching real bad."

Eric shrugged. "No, that hasn't happened to me."

"Well good, because you don't want to use a coat hanger to itch it with. I've ripped my skin open and it doesn't scab well. That's just my wise-ness I'm parting to you."

Jackie grimaced. "Gross Michael. Did you bring the lighter fluid?"

He grinned. "Yes and I brought firecrackers too!"

Brooke smiled, "Honey, the firecrackers are for next week. Remember July 4th? I think Jackie wants you to start the grill."

"Thank you Brooke." Jackie answered

Kelso stood up. "I knew that!"

While Kelso got the grill prepared Brooke visited with Eric and showed him pictures of the growing Betsy Kelso. Intermixed with the elementary school Betsy were pictures of a younger Jackie he never saw before. The camera flattered her and her bubbling personality carried forward in the photograph.

Jackie brought out the steaks and let Kelso do the grilling. Eric asked, "Is it safe to have him around fire?" Brooke and Jackie laughed. "Yeah, he's not the pyromaniac kind of guy anymore - more beer anyone?"

*

The meal was great, the sun was setting and the small party was very relaxed. Eric hadn't 'hung out' with his friends in years and even though they had all matured, there was that little bit of _stupid_ that still made them laugh

Jackie brought out some cherry pie she picked up from the grocery store and left it with the guys. Eric noticed the little apron she was wearing and thought it was cute. When she turned to go back in the kitchen, Eric grabbed the tails and pulled her towards him. She turned around and swatted his hands, "Are you trying to break my leg?" she teased.

Eric grinned but said in a low voice. "No, I'm trying to get your attention. Can you get me one of those anti-inflammatory pills? My foot feels swollen." She smiled and went back through the patio doors.

Brooke looked at Eric. "What's going on with the two of you?"

Eric shrugged. "Nothing…she's getting me something for my leg." Brooke wagged her finger. "No, I saw the way you've been looking at her all night. You like her."

Kelso grinned like an idiot. "You like Jackie? Ho-ho-ho…I never saw that one coming. "

Eric rolled his eyes. 'I like her as a friend. The first week we just butted heads – that girl is stubborn. She finally gave me a… let's call it a lecture…and we've been friends since."

Brooke was not convinced. "So if I ask Jackie the same question, she's going to give me your answer."

Eric shrugged. "Yeah I guess." Brooke stood up. "Okay, I'll be back!"

*

Jackie was looking for the ibuprofen bottle but ended up looking under the bed. Where did he put it? She lifted the covers and still couldn't find it. She threw the pillows from the head of the bed and did find something else. Something that should not have been there!

Brooke came in the living room just in time to see Jackie pull her underwear out from under Eric's pillow. Brooke started laughing. "Please tell me those are yours."

Jackie was confused. "Well yeah, but I don't know how they got there. I can't find that pill bottle."

Brooke sat on the edge of the bed. "Jackie, tell me true. What's going on with you and Eric? I mean he's got your panties under his pillow. What's the story?"

Jackie sat down beside her. "There really isn't a story. If you hadn't volunteered me and Fez as caretakers, Eric wouldn't have had anybody to help him out and trust me; he needs it in this house. He can't even cook or do laundry, it's sad."

Brooke was still smiling. "You like him. You wouldn't do this much work for someone unless they were paying you. Admit it."

Jackie grinned. "Okay, we had a rocky start but I think we're going to be good friends when those casts come off."

Brooke was exasperated. "I don't mean that. I mean the sultry little glances you've been giving him all night….the way he looks at you and whispers. There's something happening and you have to tell me."

"It's nothing, really! Oh, I did show him my belly ring. That was a contest to own the remote control."

Brooke gave her friend a firm stare. "The only way he would see that hoop of yours is if you exposed yourself in some way. Please tell me you didn't."

"Okay, so I flashed a little boob, it's not like he can do anything about it. He's got two casts for heavens sake."

Brooke smiled like a Cheshire cat – "Oh, yeah…there is. I'm a librarian and I've seen the pictures. It's not difficult because you have control….." Brooke gave Jackie some detailed information she never knew. "Now you are educated and if you do any of the aforementioned acts, you have to call me immediately so I can try it on Michael!"

Jackie bumped her friends shoulder. "Brooke, you are so bad! Hey, there's the bottle!" The small prescription bottle had rolled by the bookcase. "I'm glad we had this talk."

*

Kelso had just finished telling Eric about a car chase he was in when Brooke came out the door. "Michael, we should go, it's a long drive and I promised mom we'd pick up Betsy tonight."

"Oh, no you didn't!" Kelso argued. Brooke whispered something in her husband's ear. "Really - We can? Yeah, let's go pick up Betsy." Kelso grinned at Eric like he was in on the scheme.

Jackie came out with the pill and Eric thanked her and chased it down with his beer. She hugged Michael and Brooke whispered her warning. "Okay, if I do, I will! Give a girl a break!" Jackie laughed.

Kelso clapped Eric on the back. "Next time we'll get Fez and go out somewhere. If I stay the night, Casey will baby-sit." Eric smiled. "I'd like that. This was really great tonight."

Kelso opened the door for Brooke and hollered to Jackie. "Hey, that apron is a good look for you! BURN!"

Jackie glared, "I didn't want to get steak on my pants! Give it a break you two!" Brooke just laughed and Kelso waved goodbye as they backed out of the driveway.

*

Eric helped bring in the dishes as the best he could, but his leg was starting to really hurt. "Hey Jackie, I think I need to go prop up the cast. I'll help you finish cleaning up tomorrow."

She smiled. "It's okay Eric, I got it. Go rest your leg." She watched as he hobbled through the kitchen doors.

She sighed and sat down at the table. Brooke had her thinking…Eric had been looking at her more than usual. He was being sweeter, but she thought that was because she had to bitch at him – but no…ever since the movie he was truly being a nice guy. Hmmm – go figure!

*


	14. Chapter 14 What a Pain!

**Author Note: **_Drama at the ER and a little fluffiness. (I'm not a doctor nor have I ever had a broken leg…all fiction!!!)_

**Chapter 14** – What a Pain

"_Okay, so I flashed a little boob, it's not like he can do anything about it…."_

Jackie thought about what would have happened if she had let Eric kiss her back. He did have a nice mouth and she loved his hands…and she loved that she could make him tremble. _What else could I make him do?_

As she washed dishes she thought about some of the things Brooke told her. Nah, Eric would never want her like that – he liked blonds and red heads. His previous girlfriends were testaments to that – oh and Kitty Forman's Polaroid pictures. Eric would never succumb to the brunettes of the world.

She wiped down the counter tops and looked at the clock. Saturday Night Live would be on in less than 30 minutes. She had just enough time to shower and get ready for bed. Jackie went around through the dining room to hit the stairs if she hurried, she could catch the opening monologue of Danny De Vito – it was a rerun but Bon Jovi was the musical guest and Jackie didn't want to miss it.

Eric sensed her coming down the stairs before he even heard her. He smiled – what would she be wearing tonight? It was like a little treat because she rarely wore the same thing twice – okay well with the exception of his favorite nightgown.

Jackie jumped on the bed like she usually does but this time she was wearing flannel pajamas_. Was she crazy? It was almost July!_ "Hey, "he said, "You almost missed the beginning." She sat cross-legged and smiled, 'Nope, I would have run down here naked before I let that happen."

Eric's gut clenched again. Oh why did she have to dress so fast? "Hey would you mind putting one more pillow under my leg? My toes look swollen."

Jackie frowned and crawled across the bed. They did indeed look swollen. "Let me get you some ice and you better call me as soon as the monologue starts!"

Jackie was back in seconds with a bag of frozen peas. She lifted his cast and stuffed another pillow under the heel and set the peas on his toes. "Leave it here for ten minutes tops. If the swelling doesn't go down, I'm calling your doctor."

Eric leaned his head back. His leg did hurt worse today than it had been. He leaned back against the pillows as the frozen bag of peas chilled his foot. Was it really ten minutes or two that Jackie was back and looking at his foot. "I am calling the doctor."

She handed him another anti-inflammatory pill and a bottle of water while she dialed the number on Dr. Bradley's card. Eric closed his eyes and listened – it hurt to do more than that. She got the doctor's exchange and they would call the doctor and get back to her. Jackie felt Eric's forehead for a fever and her hand felt nice and cool on his skin.

"Eric, you have a little fever. I'm going to get a thermometer. If the doctor calls back, answer the phone okay?" She was back instantly sticking a thermometer in his mouth and removing the cold pack. It was still swollen and didn't look good. "I'm taking you to emergency."

Eric mumbled around the glass thermometer but she pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't argue. You don't see what I'm seeing. I'm going to change and we're leaving in five minutes."

*

"He had complained about swelling earlier in the evening and then maybe less than an hour ago, the foot just swelled up." The nurse was taking down everything Jackie was saying and Eric could only lie there on the admitting table. A doctor came over to look at his knee and foot. "Mr. Forman, does it hurt when I do this?" Eric almost screamed and sat straight up. "Hell, what did you do?"

Jackie pushed her way into the curtained off bed. "What the hell did you just do to him?"

The ER doctor didn't know whether to talk to the patient or the short bossy brunette. "I'm suspecting an infection at the site of the wound. We're going to x-ray and possibly have to recast his leg."

Jackie put her hands on her hips. "He just saw Dr. Bradley who already x-rayed him and said everything was healing like it was supposed to." The ER doctor smiled, "Well, then we'll look at the bone scans, but the infection may not have shown up."

"You better give him a nicer cast. This plaster thing is too heavy and hurts him more than it should." The ER doc admired her moxie. "Yes ma'am. Can we take him now?"

She glared, "Give me two minutes." The doctor smiled and gave her some privacy. For once, Eric was glad that Jackie could be so bossy. "Eric, I'm going to be in the waiting room. If they give you any problems…."

Eric reached out for her hand. "You'll be the first person I call." She looked down at his big hand holding her small one and smiled. "Okay, just don't make me the last one on the list again okay?" she teased lightly.

Eric closed his eyes. "You are at the top of my list Jackie."

*

Jackie dozed off in the waiting room and a nurse came to get her as soon as the ER doctors were done with him. Jackie was led to his temporary room where Eric was sporting a shorter cast but his leg was still very swollen.

The doctor came in, "Mrs. Forman," He began, "We found that your husband has a deep infection at the site where the tibia broke the skin and along the surrounding tissues. We cleaned and repaired the previous stitches and the swelling will go away shortly."

Jackie didn't bother to tell him she wasn't married to Eric, that wasn't as important as much as why they wrapped him in a tight cast again. "If the skin was infected, then how is it going to heal in this thing?"

The doctor smiled and showed her that there was a light netting material covering the wound as the rest of the cast supported the broken bone. "We'll keep him here for a few more hours for observation and when you get home, he needs three days complete bed rest. No walking until absolutely necessary. The nursing staff will give you instructions and some prescriptions."

He walked over to the head of the bed. "Mr. Forman, it's a good thing your wife got you here when she did or this could have been worse." He flipped through Eric's chart and handed it off to the attending nurse.

Eric called for Jackie and she stepped away from the foot of the bed. "Yeah Eric, what do you need?" Eric watched the doctor walk away and he was tired. "Just you. Can you sit with me awhile?"

She smiled and pulled up a chair. "Sure, I'll sit here until they release you. Are you still hurting?"

He tried to keep his eyes opened. "Yeah, it aches but not so bad. My leg feels lighter too."

She laughed lightly. "Get some sleep and we'll be home in the morning."

*

Eric woke up when the nurse was taking his blood pressure. He noticed that Jackie was holding his hand and she was leaning back in the chair fast asleep. The nurse smiled. "You didn't let go of her hand all night." It's so sweet to see a couple like this these days."

The nurse took his temperature again and gave him a big smile. "Looks like we can release you Mr. Forman…I just need your signature on some forms." Jackie woke up and noticed the little hand holding but said nothing. She wiped her eyes and asked what needed to be done to get Eric released.

*

Jackie took care of the prescriptions and had an orderly help the sleepy Eric get into the van. This was just like day one all over again! She stopped by Fez's apartment while Eric slept and asked for his help to get the patient into the Forman's home.

Eric was barely conscious as Fez helped Jackie get him transferred from the wheelchair to the bed. "Aiiy, he is heavy! " Jackie lifted his leg onto the pillows. "Yeah and he's going to be bummed he has to spend three days on his back."

Fez agreed. "I'll come over tomorrow and watch TV with him. It should give you a break."

"Thanks Fez. I think I'm just going to take a nap now. I was half awake all night." Fez gave his friend a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow. Take care of our friend."

Jackie smiled her thanks and walked Fez to the door and locked it.

*

Eric thought he was still in the hospital _…"Mr. Forman, it's a good thing your wife got you here when she did or this could have been worse."_ He quickly opened his eyes to find Jackie napping near his side. How could they have thought he was married? There were no rings and she was his friend....a friend who probably saved his life.

His leg was still swollen but they had shortened the cast so it didn't reach his kneecap like the old one did and the ball of his foot and toes were exposed. He could actually wiggle his tootsies. Jackie must have sensed he was awake because she rolled over. "Hey." She said rising up on her elbow.

"Hey yourself." He smiled back. "I guess I'm in your debt again. You saved me from really getting worse."

"That's why I'm here. You're going to be really bummed though."

"Why's that?"

"Doctor said you have to stay in bed for three days. You know unless you have to _walk the dog_ or something. Keep the leg elevated so it's going to be a lot of television."

Eric sighed, "I thought I was trying to do too much too soon…"

Jackie sat up. "No, it was an infection at the part of your leg where the shin bone went through the skin. The stitches and the something else they called it was getting infected and couldn't heal so you got this cool cast that has air conditioning."

Jackie checked his toes and the swelling above the cast. "I can get some lambs wool to put between your cast and foot and it won't irritate the skin - the same thing for this part up here. "

Eric grabbed her hand and gave her a tug. "Just lay with me okay? I don't need a full comprehensive detailed explanation right now… It just seems to hurt less if you're nearby."

Jackie smiled. "Aww…you really know how to say the sweetest things a girl wants to hear." She scooted up to lay between his arm and shoulder. "Give me some pillow."

"Can we take another nap?"

Jackie grinned. "I'd like that."

*


	15. Chapter 15 Dreaming of You

**Author Note**: Okay…this gets "steamy" but not too smutty…I had to…

**Chapter 15** – Dreaming of You

"_Just lay with me okay? It just seems to hurt less if you're nearby." Jackie smiled. "Aww…you really know how to say the sweetest things a girl wants to hear." _

_It was late….Eric was at the sink washing the leftover dishes. He was balancing on the crutch and his good leg when two arms snaked around his waist startling him. Jackie slid between his chest and the sink with that look in her eyes. "Are you still doing the dishes?" She asked casually as her hand trailed up the buttons of his shirt and then down his arm. _

_She was wearing that short nightgown that he liked so much and then using those strong legs of hers hopped up on the edge of the sink. "Jackie, there's hot soapy water in there." He said as a warning. She winked and grabbed the loops on his jeans pulling him closer to stand in the V of her legs. She was looking at his mouth. 'I don't care…I want you to kiss me…I've been thinking about you all day….Eric…._

"Eric, you're pulling my hair." Jackie was trying to lift his arm as he woke from his fantasy. He blinked – oh my god what a dream that was! He lifted his arm and she pulled her hair out from under his shoulder.

He was looking at her with a strange expression. "Eric… are you okay? You look like something…I don't know... do you need something? Eric wiped his face with his palms. "No, just an odd dream…nothing to worry about – I'm just going to sleep a little longer."

"Well okay then." She turned over and lay next to him with her knee bent over his good leg. A little more intimate than he needed but he wasn't going to say anything…she had a long night too.

"_Eric…look at me." Jackie threaded her fingers through his hair and wrapped those cheerleader legs around his back trapping him against the sink. Her lips were closer than close and she murmured so softly, "I know you've wanted to kiss me….touch me…." Jackie's lips were whispering along his jaw to the sensitive skin below his ear. "Do it Eric…."_

_He felt the crutch drop to the floor and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her mouth was hot against his neck and he could feel shivers up and down his spine. Her hair smelled of all those wonderful scents he loved and he wrapped a hand in the spun silkiness. "I need you Eric…."_

The ringing of the phone woke Eric from his dream. Damn. Dammit! How was that dream going to end? Damn! He reached over and grabbed the receiver and said, "What!" just maybe a little too gruffly."

"Eric honey, it's your mother. Why didn't you tell me what happened?"

Crap. Busted.

"Hi mom. How's dad…."

"Oh, don't you "Hi Mom" me! How could you not tell your mother you were in a car accident! Eric, did you think I wouldn't find out? I'm coming home right now."

Eric sat up, he was afraid this would happen. "Mom no – everything's fine. Really." Jackie woke up as Eric shifted on the bed.

"You are in a wheelchair and all alone. You need a nurse honey. I'm coming home."

"Mom ..no! I'm not alone. I have Jackie with me and Fez comes by during the week."

"Don't lie to your mother."

Eric handed the phone to Jackie. "Please talk to her – she's pissed at me." Jackie sat back against the headboard and looked at the telephone like it was a snake.

"You want me to talk to her? Are you crazy?" she whispered.

"She always liked you best. Talk to her!"

Jackie took a deep breath. "Hello Mrs. Forman. How have you been?"

"Jackie? Is that you?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm staying here until Eric gets back on his feet."

Eric listened as Jackie calmly told his mother everything that happened since the accident and the subsequent doctor visits and even the eye doctor appointment. His mom didn't really need to know he had to wear glasses!

She handed the phone back to him. 'It's _your_ mom." She smirked.

"Mom is everything good now?" he asked hesitantly.

Kitty sounded relieved. "Oh honey, I'm so glad you have Jackie there to keep things under control. Hahahaha…at least I know she can cook! My boy won't starve. Well, I don't think I have to worry much but you be nice to her."

"Mom, how did you find out I was in the accident?" _Who sold him out?_

"Dr. Bradley's new head nurse is an old friend of mine and when she heard your dad had the stroke she called me and we just got talking….Put Jackie back on the phone."

"Hello Mrs. Forman."

"Jackie honey, I saw your commercial last night."

"Oh you did? I didn't think it played in Florida."

"Yes, we got cable and honey you have to send me a sample. Those model's hair just look so wonderful and soft…"

"Mrs. Forman, I'll send you a case. Oh and I'm using the basement to create a conditioner!"

"Oh honey, use the whole house if you want and come visit us sometime okay?"

"I will Mrs. Forman. Tell Mr. Forman that I miss him okay?"

"Bye sweetie, take good care of my son."

Jackie handed the receiver back to Eric and covered her mouth while she yawned. "She told me to take good care of you."

Eric smiled. "You are and thanks for being here or she would've been on the first plane back. I didn't want her to worry about me." Jackie scooted towards the foot of the bed. "Hey, I'm going to make something to eat. Do you want some coffee or anything?"

Eric missed the warmth of her body next to his. He smiled, "Can I get a Coke or something? I'm really thirsty."

*

Jackie looked at the kitchen clock amazed that it was nearly 3:00 in the afternoon. She pulled out sandwich makings and some hamburger to defrost. She had to cook foods that could be eaten in bed for the next three days. So, she sat at the kitchen table absentmindedly tapping her fingernails on the top of the table.

It was weird how she started to regard this as _her_ kitchen. She hated the kitchen at her apartment and got take out food as often as possible. But here in Mrs. Forman's kitchen, it was like the word "take out" was forbidden here and food was to be cooked. Jackie smiled as she remembered Mrs. Forman teaching her how to cook and all the disastrous dishes she and Donna made yet Mr. Forman ate and still smiled. Two more months and she'd be back to take out food again.

She got up and sighed quickly making some cheese sandwiches. The ground beef needed to be defrosted so dinner would be late. Did Eric like cheese sandwiches? She never asked him.

*

Eric was still bewildered by the Jackie fantasy. It seemed so real until he scrutinized it. Jackie had been lying right next to him, of course he could smell her hair and she was touching his body so he could fee the heat…but those words….he never heard her say them and god, they were erotic!

Jackie wasn't usually the type of girl he fantasized about. Tall blonds like Pamela Anderson, Kim Bassinger maybe or Julia Roberts but short sassy brunettes? This was new! He was definitely attracted but didn't want to act on his feelings yet because their budding friendship was still new. What if he threw a pass and she rejected him and left?

But there was that fight for the remote that left him fighting for self control – how did she have the power to leave him a trembling mass of nerves? He'd have to turn the tables somehow. Even in his disabled position, Eric Forman would strive to have the upper hand. That is something Luke Skywalker would do. Okay, so would Indiana Jones. She liked Indy….that was something he could work with….

*

Fez arrived later that Sunday morning. Jackie got up and made breakfast for the three of them and declared she was going shopping for the day. Fez was bold enough to ask why.

"Teena is setting me up with her version of Mr. Right on Wednesday. Her brother's friend is a lawyer and we're playing doubles. I need a new tennis dress."

Fez raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with the one you have now?"

Jackie smiled, "Not short enough!" Eric started choking on his eggs. _Not short enough?_ Her other dress was way, way short. "Sorry, went down the wrong tube." He managed to cough down.

Jackie merely waved and trotted out the living room door. Fez shook his head, "She keeps looking but never finding." Fez climbed on the bed and leaned against the headboard. "I just hope she doesn't get crushed again. It's bad for my business."

Eric looked at Fez who whipped some licorice from his pocket. "Want some?"

"No. But thanks anyways. What did you mean by Jackie getting crushed again?"

Fez squished the pillows and turned sideways. "It was a couple of years ago but Jackie met this guy who was opening a dance studio. He came into the salon for a trim and starting flirting with her while she was doing a shampoo. This guy said all those things she likes to hear and by the time he was done, he got a free shampoo and haircut!"

"Fez, tell me about the dude, not the haircut."

Fez grabbed another piece of licorice. "Well, he started coming by everyday at lunch just to talk and next thing I knew they were dating."

"Continue."

"I always thought it was odd that their dates were on Tuesdays or Thursdays but Jackie didn't care. She started looking for a bigger apartment; she was really into this guy. I thought she finally found the Mr. Right she was looking for."

"So did he propose?"

Fez looked at Eric and shook his head slowly. 'No. I remember this like it was yesterday. I was putting highlights in Marge Roman's hair and Jackie was washing up because Cole was coming to meet her for lunch. Jackie was smiling so much that day and just looked so pretty…." Fez closed his eyes for a minute. "She told me she had seen him buying something in Dylan's at the mall. You know that jewelry store in Kenosha?"

Eric didn't know if he wanted to hear the rest of this story. "Yeah…I've seen it. So then what happened…to this Cole guy?"

Fez scowled, "He came into the salon and Jackie went running to him but he stopped her and pointed to a car outside. He said he was reconciling with his wife. His kids needed their daddy. His baby was turning one and he had to go to a birthday party but Jackie could meet him _later_ because his wife wasn't as passionate." Fez almost spat out the rest. "He had the nerve to show Jackie the diamond necklace he bought for his wife. My Jackie's face turned white and she ran to the laundry room crying. Marge got out of the chair and punched Cole in face. Aiiy! There was blood all over the door."

Eric felt so bad for Jackie. Deceived by a married man? She was so trusting and honest that yeah, she would be crushed. "Fez, how long ago was this?"

Fez exhaled slowly. "A couple of years now – she's been dating once in a while but some woman told her she needed to start thinking about her biological clock because she was almost 30. I asked Jackie if I needed that clock in the salon but she looked at me like I was crazy."

Eric chuckled. "No, you're not crazy. Supposedly the older the woman, the more difficult it is to have a baby."

"Oh, thank God. I thought it was going to be something expensive! But, since Jackie got over him and she is more careful about whom she dates- except for that horn dog you set her up with."

Eric winced. "I didn't set her up – my co-worker did and obviously the date didn't go well. You were there!"

Fez laughed. "Yeah she got him good with her pointy shoes. Hey, let's watch some TV, or take a nap or something until Jackie gets back."

"Fez, could you do something for me?"

"What would that be my friend?"

"Take me to this tennis club on Wednesday."

Fez's eyes got big. "You want to spy on her?"

"What? No, I want to see who this new Mr. Right is. We have to stop her from making a mistake."

Fez wagged his finger. "Oh you are clever Eric Forman. I think you _like_ Jackie."

Eric reddened just enough to confirm Fez's suspicions. "Oh! Eric likes Jackie!" Fez sing-songed. "I didn't see that happening."

"Damn, have you been talking to Kelso or something?"

Fez was grinning. 'It's good! No, I did not talk to Kelso – why, did you tell him some juicy stuff? Tell Fez!" Eric rubbed his temples. "I didn't tell him anything but I keep having these dreams."

Fez sat back and tapped his cheek. "Ahhh…sex dreams. Fez has good ones."

Eric's mouth fell open. "Dude, are you hiding a tape recorder in here or something? How did you know that?"

Fez looked at his American friend. "Eric, you are sharing a bed with a beautiful woman who is waiting on you hand and foot. And she _shaved_ you….a guy doesn't let just any girl get that close unless he _likes_ her."

Eric wanted to argue but everything Fez said was true. He almost whispered, "She wears the sexiest clothes and smells so good…"

Fez shrugged. "That's just Jackie. Love her or leave her. "

"What happens if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"Eric, that's a chance you have to take. So, yes, I will take you to the tennis club on Wednesday. I like to be under the covers! This will be fun."

*

Eric could barely wait for Wednesday. After two full days of lying in bed he was ready to do something! It was only Monday and this just his second day. Maybe it was talking to Fez about Jackie or just Jackie being herself, but Eric couldn't help but notice how exquisite she was. She never pretended with him, she didn't talk down to him and she showed she cared about him in every possible way. He was infatuated…he didn't look for it or expect it but everything Fez told him was true.

The person foremost on his mind, came busting through the kitchen doors with the wheelchair. "Guess what time it is?" She asked almost laughing. Eric couldn't guess what was so funny.

"Tell me."

"Well, I have to wash these sheets – time. So guess what you get to do."

Eric shrugged. "Sit in the chair?" Jackie chuckled and parked the chair next to the bed so he could easily transfer over to the seat. "You're half right. It's _driveway _shower time."

Eric groaned. That water was freezing cold! Jackie was laughing. "We can't let you get too ripe if I'm washing sheets now can we?" She unlocked the brake and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "If you're good, I'll shampoo your hair." Jackie's warm breath ran down his spine and coiled in his stomach. "So hose me down you wench!" He said with false bravado.

*

The garbage bags were familiar, but having his cast balanced on the top of the patio table was awkward. He was so lopsided he really thought he was going to fall. He held his left arm in the air as Jackie doused him with the hose.

"Damn Jackie, that's cold!" he complained loudly. She only laughed. "Eric, it's a summer afternoon. You've just been in the house too long. I can let you sit there and heat up if you like…."

She came up behind him and ran the hose over his shoulders and tried not to laugh as he shivered. "C'mon, be brave. I just have to get you wet – a few more minutes."

Eric gritted his teeth as the water sluiced over his head and past his ears and onto the seat. Okay, now his boxers were officially wet. However, when she started shampooing his hair, the cold water was forgotten and he gave himself up to the mini scalp massage. She handed him a bar of soap and terry cloth then stepped back so he could wash himself. She couldn't stop giggling.

"Do you want me to change the spray so it's more like a shower?" she pretended innocently.

Eric was wise to her now. "Hey Jackie, let me see that hose for a minute, I think there's an adapter on the end."

She looked at the ordinary green garden hose. "Really?" She went to hand him the hose but he grabbed her arm pulling her into his lap giving her a good dose of the cold water. She sputtered and screamed, "It's freezing! Eric… you brat! Let go of me!"

He tucked the end of the hose down the front of her tank top. "Do you want me to change the spray so it's more like a shower?" he mocked lightly.

She glared up at him and changed tactics. Jackie straddled the chair, mindful of his leg and pulled the hose out of her blouse. "Look at what you did." And yes, his eyes went right to her chest just like she planned.

Eric hadn't intended to get aroused by the wet shirt but he was and it was apparent by the _knowing_ look on her face. She took the hose from his hand. "Hose _adapters_…aren't you a funny boy? Tell me Eric ….is this _uncomfortable_ for you?" She leaned closer sliding the hose down the elastic of his boxers.

The rush of cold water was unpleasant but quite necessary. "Oh, who's laughing now?" she asked back. She sat in her dominant position and looked at him. She didn't say anything and Eric found it slightly uncomfortable but was curious about what she was going to do next.

Jackie was looking at his mouth, even when he was being a brat he had a nice smile. When she ran her thumb over his bottom lip and Eric dropped the hose, his hands reaching for her face. He leaned forward capturing Jackie's lips in a hot wet kiss that destroyed her defenses. She held onto his wrist as his lips tasted and explored her mouth like he had wanted to for weeks. He pulled her back with him against the chair and she returned his kiss just as feverishly. His hands settled on her hips and she cupped his cheek, out of breath, her eyes closed. Eric pressed his forehead against hers.

She opened her multicolored eyes and pushed his wet hair from his face. "Where did you learn to kiss like that?" she whispered. Eric felt himself swell with pride at the knowledge that he found her weakness. It had been a long time since he had that kind of effect on a girl.

"Well, it's not like I kiss like that every day. You have to be…special." He weaved his fingers through her wet steamy hair, "We can try it again you know…just to make sure it's still….magical."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "One more and this better be good…." Eric didn't reply immediately but instead pushed the straps of her tank top to the side and pressed his lips against the wet skin of her shoulder and kissed his way back into her throat. He let his hands skim her ribs and lift the hem of her top looking for the secret belly ring. She trembled in his hands and he had to smile.

"Kiss me already." She said impatiently. He caught her mouth in a searing kiss that surprised both of them. "God Forman how is it that you are still single?" Breaking away, she carefully climbed off his lap and rinsed the soap off both of them her mind thinking of a million possibilities…

*

**A/N** – Look out Eric!


	16. Chapter 16 You Spied on Me!

**Author Note: **_Awwww...this was so fun to write I really hope you enjoy it! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!_

**Chapter 16 – **You Spied on Me!

The next two days were kind of awkward. The pair danced around the driveway hosing incident yet still managed to get Eric's leg to the point where he could finally get out of bed. Eating breakfast in the kitchen was like a big event for him.

"I want to remind you that I'm playing doubles tonight." Jackie said as she took the dishes to the sink.

"Oh right, I remember you saying something when Fez was here. Are you spending the night at your apartment?"

Jackie pursed her lips. "I don't know." Meeting with the lawyer during the match was the deciding factor. "I'll just say maybe. You still have my number right?"

Eric was formulating his plan to get there when she met Mr. Lawyer. He still had to call Fez. "Yeah, it's by the phone. What's for dinner?"

"Eric, you just had breakfast why are you worried about dinner?"

"Well, I didn't want you to have to go through too much trouble," Eric still had difficulty washing dishes. He couldn't ignore that dream about Jackie and her little nightgown sitting on the sink. Eric smiled and disappeared thru the living room doors. He needed to rest his leg today if he was going to be up all night!

*

"Fez, she's leaving at 5:30 so get here before she leaves. She won't be suspicious at all. She thinks I'm resting. Well, I am, but not for the reasons she thinks." Eric hung up the phone and took half the amount of his prescription medication. He wanted to be awake and alert for this evening.

Jackie came into the living room with the mail. "Eric, here's some of the utility bills. Weren't you going to change your name on the water bill?" She handed him the electric, cable and telephone bills as well. He opened them and frowned. "I never realized that it cost so much for a house. I'm glad Dad paid this off."

Jackie sat on the edge of the mattress. "Think if you had a mortgage payment on top of this! I don't know how your folks managed."

"I guess that's why mom had to work and freaked out when dad had the heart attack. Jackie, can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

She smiled. "Ask away."

Eric sat back against the headboard. "If this was your house, what would you do to make it more…comfortable?"

Jackie looked around the orange, brown and green living room. "I would make it more contemporary. I'm not saying your mom had bad taste in furnishing, but ew! The colors are so 70's….I'd strip the wallpaper and paint everything. I'd turn that den and formal dining room into a guest bedroom. I'd get rid of this brick pony wall and put some leather furniture in here. Those curtains - Gone! Get some blinds and the kitchen needs a total makeover…"

Eric touched Jackie's hand. "Jackie – breathe…" He laughed, "I can see that this place needs a lot of work. I just don't know if I should spend my money fixing it up to sell it and get another house with a mortgage...Or should I fix it up and live here."

"It is a big house. You could always rent out the extra bedrooms."

"No, mom would hate it if I had strangers sleeping under the roof. She still wants it to be a Forman house. I guess I could try to find Laurie."

Jackie laughed. "Good luck with that."

Eric grinned. "Hey, since you're not a stranger, would you maybe think about renting a room? I have the basement that you could use…You wouldn't have a leased apartment to worry about."

She smiled softly. "Let me think about that okay?" Standing, she took the mail from his hands and set it on the nightstand. Eric just realized that he was asking her to move in – where did that come from?

Jackie stepped forward and kissed him on the side of his mouth. "I'll talk to you late, I have to go start dinner and get ready."

Eric closed his eyes. Yeah, he could live with Jackie before he could ever live with Laurie…that would be something nice in his life for a change….

*

Fez showed up promptly as planned. He was wearing white tennis shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. Eric almost blanched. In a low voice, he said, "Dude, how are we supposed to be undercover when you are wearing a loud flowery shirt?"

Fez put a hat on his head. "Hey, if I show up in white with this sexy brown skin, I will attract more attention - wait that could be a good thing, if I was trying to pick up a woman!"

Eric groaned. "Well, just remember we are just there to observe – not make asses of ourselves."

Fez flexed his muscles. "Aiiy, speak for yourself my friend, but if a hot chick starts coming on to me….you are going to need a ride home."

Eric's eyes got big. Fez laughed, "Oh you should have seen your face! I was kidding. No serious if I get some phone numbers…."

"I'll bring money for a cab."

Fez smiled happily. "Thank you Eric. Now, let's pretend we are doing nothing while my goddess is getting ready for the new guy."

"Fez, we are doing nothing. Just don't draw attention to yourself –and take off that shirt before she sees it!"

"Why?

"Because she'll recognize you in all those colors you dork!" Fez looked at his shirt and quickly pulled if off his head leaving him clad in his tank and shorts. Mere minutes later, Jackie came bounding down the stairs in a two piece tennis outfit. The tiny little skirt had ruffles and the top was so tight Eric had to hold his breath. Little pink pom-poms were sporting the tops of her shoes.

"Tonight I'm kicking ass and taking names." She declared happily. Fez applauded, "Oh Jackie, you look like a movie star! Tell Teena I send her my love!"

Jackie pointed her racket at Fez. "I will and you make sure Forman here keeps his leg up. I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

Fez and Eric gave her a 15 minute head start.

*

The convertible VW arrived at the tennis club with Eric's leg hanging out the side window and his wheelchair taking up all space in the backseat. Fez looked at how uncomfortable Eric was and said, "We really should have thought about how we were going to get here. I should have traded cars with Jackie."

Eric glared at Fez. "Ya think? I feel like a pretzel! Open the door before I get a cramp."

Fez got the wheelchair out of the back and pushed it around to the passenger side. He had to hold Eric's leg so it wouldn't slam on the ground when he opened the door. The two men composed themselves and tried to look like club members.

Fez noticed the fancy Mercedes and Jaguars and grinned. "After Jackie creates the conditioner, I am buying one of those!" Eric looked in the direction Fez was pointing. "You want a BMW?"

Fez smiled. "Yeah, those cars are fast and women love them." Eric couldn't disagree it was a sexy car. "Hey, let's go do this!"

*

"Jackie, I couldn't get a free court until 6:30." Teena apologized. She curled her short black hair behind her ears. "We could go sit on the bleachers and watch the men's singles game. Dan and Brock haven't got here yet."

Jackie smiled, "Let's do that and we can come back at the end of the current set."

Fez had maneuvered the wheelchair to the top of the bleacher stand only to find Jackie and her friend Teena walking right towards them. "Fez, - stand in front of me." Eric hissed. "You're shirt will block me."

Fez looked back and noticed that the two women never looked up; he breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, we're safe; they can't see us from here." Fez sat on the bench next to Eric and listened to the pop and thud of green fuzzy tennis balls as they were batted back and forth across the net.

Fez was taking in all the eye candy he could handle. Blonds, red heads, every pretty girl was wearing a short skirt that showed off toned thighs and calves. Their skin was smooth and tan and he almost felt like he was back in the homeland. "Eric, I may have to take the tennis lessons. I like it here. Everywhere I look its girls, girls, and more girls."

Eric was about to agree until he saw a pair of men walking towards Jackie and Teena at bottom of the bleachers.

*

"Jackie, you know my crazy brother Dan." Teena bumped him with her hip and he bumped her right back. "This is his friend Brock."

Brock was easily 6 foot 2 in bare feet and if his hair was just a bit longer, Jackie would have sworn he was a twin of Fabio. His waxed chest was muscular and his tennis pants were tight and white. She swallowed hard. "Nice to meet you Brick - I mean Brock!"

Brock took her hand and lifted it to his lips. "Teena told me you were beautiful. I am honored to play with such lovely ladies. Shall we?"

*

Eric saw the overly courteous kissing of the hand and nearly toppled his wheelchair. Fez smiled, "He is man-pretty like Kelso. I think he works out." Eric didn't care he just didn't want to see Jackie throw herself at that romance book cover of a guy.

They played teams - Brock and Teena against Dan and Jackie. True to her word, Jackie had a fast serve. She was quick on the court and Eric got caught up watching the game. Jackie and Dan won the first set and retired to the bench to get some water and the teams switched sides.

Brock winked at Jackie and she smiled. He was handsome! He must do some part time modeling or hide that gorgeous hair in the courtroom! Brock played more consistently and team Teena/Brock won they second set.

Eric was rooting for Teena's brother and Jackie. Fez was seeing Teena in a new light. "She really bounces when she rushes the net." Fez exclaims. "I think she had some work done."

"What are you talking about?" Eric asked without looking away from the court. Fez was grinning, "I'm talking about a boob job. Aiiy, Eric you have to start noticing these things."

"Fez, what happens when this last game is over?"

"Umm, oh, they go inside the club for drinks. Oh! We should get down there now and find a booth before they see us!" Eric was glad that Fez was finally working with him. No one noticed the flowered shirt man pushing the wheelchair.

*

At the entrance to the club, an attendant stopped them. "May I have your name please?" Eric was stuck. _Was he supposed to have made reservations?_ "Parker. Peter Parker and this is my friend..."

"Dick. We're just Dick and Peter on vacation you lovely lady. Are you married?" _Oh Fez could be so charming_! The attendant was sympathetic to Eric's wheelchair and gave him a great seat near the back of the bar where it was semi dark and they would most likely not be seen.

Fez sat down and Eric freaked out. "Fez, what were you thinking? Peter Parker is _Spiderman_. Who in the hell is Dick?"

"I don't know! You said Peter and I was thinking about _little Pepe_ and Dick just popped in my head! Don't complain because we got in right?"

"Sorry, you're right. Hey can you order some soda or something? I gotta prop up my leg." Fez flagged down a pretty waitress and ordered two sodas and some French fries. It wasn't too much longer and the foursome was at the door of the club.

Eric held his breath as they took seats at the bar just a booth over and close enough that he could almost hear their conversations.

"So Teena tells me that you I might see you on TV?" Brock smiled as the bartender brought him a Gin and Tonic. Jackie turned on her stool to face the perfectly sculptured face of the tennis player. "Well, not exactly, I'm selling a product on local home shopping networks."

Eric could see Mr. Lawyer's hand at her elbow on the bar. She was laughing at something he said and then he leaned in to whisper in her ear, his hand falling on her bare knee. Eric held his breath. Fez said in a low voice, "It's not like he's kissing her or something."

"No, I never turned anyone's hair blue, at least on purpose!" they both laughed and Brock's hand inched up from Jackie's knee coming almost too close to her thigh. "What?" Jackie swiveled towards Teena. Brock leaned forward and signaled something to Dan.

Brock stepped off his stool and took Jackie's hand. "Let's step over here and talk okay?"

Now they were out of range and Eric's couldn't hear… all he could do was watch and all he could think about was her going home with Mr. Bigshot Lawyer – having him kiss her or undress her or touch her like Eric wanted to do….

Jackie swallowed all of her drink in one big gulp. "No, it's okay. Really! I didn't know and I swear I would never tell." Brock put an arm around her shoulders and walked her back to the bar.

Fez was just watching the drama unfold. Eric was a tight bundle of nerves and Mr. Pretty boy was extremely relaxed. He downed his drink and left the glass on the bar with some cash. Teena hugged her brother and smiled when Brock kissed her cheek. Brock gave Jackie an extra long hug and kissed the side of her mouth.

"If only…" he said before walking away. Jackie watched him walk because frankly he filled out the pants nicely.

Fez watched both girls watching Brock's butt and he began to choke on his soda. He started coughing and Eric was smacking him between the shoulder blades and Fez's eyes filled with tears. Through his blurred vision, he saw two feminine shapes approach and one slapped his face.

"I am ashamed of you!" Jackie yelled at Fez. She looked at Eric and pointed. "You were spying on me? You're supposed to be in bed with your foot elevated!"

Fez rubbed his cheek after finding his breath. "Eric made me do it!" Fez climbed out of the booth while Jackie stood at the edge near Eric's broken leg. He watched as her back stiffened ever so slightly when she stepped forward. He inched backwards, her colored eyes sending him daggers. "Jackie listen…."

She crossed her arms, "I don't think you need to say anything more. How dare you!" Eric felt trapped in the booth and hated to be confronted like this so he boldly slid forward keeping his leg out of danger until he was at the end of the booth. Jackie watched him rise while clutching the side of the booth for balance. He looked at Fez and Teena. "Can we have some privacy please?"

Fez was afraid for his friend, "Okay, but we'll be over here if she kicks your ass Eric!"

Jackie was very angry, he could feel it but still he reached out and wrapped his fingers around her arm, rubbing it gently as he waited for her to calm down. He tugged her towards him, "Come on Jackie don't be mad at me…I didn't want you to come home…fuming…again…." She allowed herself to be pulled towards him. "I'm not a eunuch you know…" he said softly and she almost chuckled.

"You didn't have to spy on me." She said to his chest. He tipped her chin. "I wasn't spying…I was watching the next Wimbledon player hit a kick ass serve…" She felt his breath warm on her face as he pulled her closer still. He kissed the corner of her mouth. "I didn't want you to go home with some strange guy." Eric kissed along her jaw and whispered, "I didn't want some lawyer holding you like this…"

She wrapped her arms around his waist as he kissed the sensitive spot just below her ear and she closed her eyes giving into the rapid beating of her heart and the blood pounding in her ears.

Eric didn't care that everyone was looking at the scene they created – normally he would have tried to slink out unnoticed but holding Jackie in his arms and having her forgive him was worth the price.

"Jackie –can I ask you something?" he said in a low voice. She nodded. He pulled her hair over her shoulder. "Why do you need to go looking for Mr. Right when Mr. Right-here-in-front-of-you is available?"

She looked up and could see the sincerity in his eyes. "Oh Eric, it's complicated."

He cupped her cheek and she turned her face in his palm. "Sweetie, how can it be complicated?"

"Because… I don't want to be your friend anymore."

*


	17. Chapter 17 I Want to be a Something

**Author Note: **_We're still at the tennis club…just sorting things out….a little fluffy chapter_

**Chapter 17 – **I Want to Be a Something

"…_Sweetie, how can it be complicated?"_

"_Because… I don't want to be your friend anymore."_

Eric didn't see that one coming – POW! Right between the eyes! He fell back onto the seat of the booth. "You don't? What did I do?" Jackie looked embarrassed. "Can we talk outside? I feel uncomfortable here." Eric looked over to see Fez making the moves on Teena.

"Hey Fez, I don't need a ride home okay?"

Fez was swallowing Teena's mouth and gave Eric the thumbs up sign. Jackie found the wheelchair at the side of the booth and wheeled it over. Her hands were still trembling. _He was spying on her! How romantic was that?_

_*_

They found a quiet spot near the bleachers just out of the lights shining on the courts. Eric transferred himself to a seat where he could at least be eye level with Jackie. "Talk to me about Mr. Right. Was that blond he-man the guy you want to be with?"

"No. "She said simply. "Eric, Mr. Right is the guy who _gets me_…that one guy who really appreciates me, loves all of me…wants to be with me forever." She picked up his hand, "Eric, I know you want to be him, but please don't confuse gratitude with love."

"Jackie, I'm not…"

She put a finger to his lips. Softly she said, "Eric we've just become friends. We're still learning about each other – the things I've been doing for you I've done because you're my friend…we are making a relationship that way."

"It's not gratitude I'm feeling…" he said trying to catch her eye. "…when all I can think about is kissing you against the kitchen sink or wondering what you're wearing to bed or what I can do to make you smile that beautiful smile…" He wound a lock of brunette hair around his finger. "I know when you enter a room because of your perfume…I know you like MacGyver more than Bart..."

She smiled shyly. "Well, that's true."

"Jackie, why did you say you didn't want to be my friend anymore?"

She looked down at her white sneakers and sighed. "Eric, when I took you to the Emergency Room, the doctor called me _Mrs. Forman_ and started to give me all the details about the infection. I didn't say anything at the time; I mean why correct them when they were fixing you up. But later it bothered me."

"Why did it bother you?"

"Eric I know I'm bossy and commandeering, but I so totally overtook your life and your choices that they made the assumption I was married to you and I'm not! I would never be in your radar….you are a…a blond or redhead kind of guy."

Eric chuckled. "I only remember the doctor saying it was a good thing _my wife_ got me to the hospital or it could have been worse. Do you know what I thought when he said that?"

She shook her head and Eric continued. "I thanked God that _you_ were there. If they thought you were my wife then maybe that's how some wives are supposed to be. I don't know…I was married once and dated more than I care to admit but no one ever put my needs first the way that you did. The way you do – that's above and beyond friendship."

She leaned into him and pressed her forehead against his. "I want to be more than your friend Eric. I don't want to rent a room from you. I want to be a _something_ – a lover, a girlfriend… can't you see that?"

Eric smiled. "What do I need to do?"

"Romance me, make me feel special, get rid of the Grand Canyon." Eric put his arms around her small shoulders. "Grand Canyon is gone. In fact, I think it was gone when you embezzled the remote control. Jackie, I can't take you dancing, yet. I can cook you scrambled eggs, sort of. Give me time to prove myself and you'll find that I can be the Mr. Right you've been looking for."

She closed her eyes and stroked his cheeks. "You need a shave." He laughed, "You need another hosing down."

She smiled and held his hand. "Can I give you a ride home?"

He pretended to pause to think about it. "Well, only if I can kiss you good night when we get there."

"Maybe I won't take the bumpy rode after all." She grinned.

"Hey pretty lady."

"What."

"Can I take you out to dinner on Friday?"

"Maybe."

"Is that _maybe_ - .a yes?" he touched the soft skin of her cheek. "I sure would like to audition for that boyfriend position…

"Well, it depends on your good night kiss!" she said cheekily. "Meet me at the van!"

*

The ride home was nice, Jackie didn't say much but the radio was playing softly and Eric was so very glad for the extra room in the van. Occasionally she would glance over at him and all he could do was smile.

The van pulled into the Forman driveway and Jackie came around to pull out the wheelchair. Eric just admired the short little tennis skirt and pink pom-poms on her shoes. She opened his door and helped him slide out since he didn't bring his crutches.

"How ever did you get into Fez's car? It's got to be the smallest Volkswagen I've ever been in."

Eric looked up at her. "I had to hang my leg out the window…and before you start your giggling, he drives so fast I feared for my life!" Jackie suppressed the urge to laugh and steered him to the patio doors.

The wheelchair hopped over the threshold and Jackie pushed him through the kitchen. "So…against the sink?"

Eric looked back, "Oh yeah, and it's good!"

She laughed and pushed him through the living room door. "Here are your crutches, I'm going to take a quick shower and then you owe me a good night kiss mister. "

He winked at her, "I'll be right here waiting for you."

He watched Jackie run up the stairs and smiled at his good fortune. He figured that living with her for the last few weeks was equal to about 40+ dates and had they gone out once a week, they would have been dating for almost a year. This condensed version of living together only helped him get to know her better. Yeah, he did feel bad for spying on her, but after the Cole story Fez had told him, Eric didn't want some new guy breaking her heart.

He lowered himself to the bed and propped his leg on the pillow. Ahh…blessed relief. Luckily, there was no new swelling and Eric took that as a good sign. He closed his eyes and waited for Jackie to finish her shower.

"_Romance me, make me feel special…"_ Eric had to figure out how to do this ordinary stuff with only one good leg. He couldn't drive, so anyplace he wanted to take her to wouldn't be a surprise…Dancing was out for a couple of months, _but_ he could arrange for other surprises when she wasn't paying attention…

Again, he knew instantly when she was done in the shower and he could hear her padding down the stairs. She walked around the side of the bed wearing that fantastic two piece silk outfit. "So…Forman… you have something you want to show me?" she asked softly.

Eric opened his eyes and smiled. "Why yes I do missy." He swung his leg off the pillows and faced her, "I need you to stand here. I can't stand up just yet." She stepped into the V of his legs and he could feel the damp heat left over from her shower.

Eric touched her waist and tugged her hand closer until they were eye to eye. He brought his hands to cup her face and just gazed at her colorful eyes until she was ready to squirm. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, nothing passionate, just a '_little hello, nice to meet you'_ kiss. Her arms came up to his shoulders as he slanted his head biting her lower lip for permission. Jackie's lips tasted like toffee as he waited for her 'okay' …she stepped closer until they were almost touching chest to chest. "So kiss me already!" she growled.

Eric wrapped his arms around her shoulders crushing her to his check. Her head fell back and he pressed his hungry lips against her soft mouth. He kissed her silly until she melted in his arms and moaned in her throat. He kissed that sensitive spot just below her ear and she trembled deliciously. He nipped her earlobe and kissed his way back to her mouth.

Jackie's heart was thudding wildly in her chest and this kiss was exhilarating and exciting and her knees felt weak. He was kissing her mouth again and smiled against her lips. "…so how about considering me for that boyfriend position?"

Jackie giggled and hugged him. "That was a great audition, but you know there will be plenty of rehearsals." She pulled back and touched his bottom lip. "Do you think you can handle it?"

Eric grabbed her by the waist and pulled her forward as he fell back on the bed with her on his chest. "Oh, I think you'll find me more than adequate. "

She fussed his hair. "I think I will too. But since its soooo late, we need to think about getting some sleep."

_As if I could sleep now!_ Eric was thinking. Jackie pulled him back to a sitting position and helped him put his leg back on the pillows. She shook out his medication and scolded him for missing a scheduled dose but he smiled and listened attentively.

"I'm going to lock up so don't go anywhere." She warned.

Eric took a page from the Burkhart book of idioms…"As if I could!" She looked back from the kitchen door. "Smartass!" she laughed.

The lights were out and Jackie's pillows were next to Eric's and she was lying in the crook of his arm. He loved the silk of her pajamas touching his skin and the warmth of her body next to his.

In the dark of the room she said, "You know Forman, just because you auditioned for the boyfriend part and well, got the job…that means we're still dating _before_ we have any sex so just put that out of your mind. Good night!"

Inwardly Eric groaned but still, he had to smile – the audition was totally worth it!

*


	18. Chapter 18 One Step at a Time

**Author Note: **_Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you like the story so far! (A bit of steam in this one!)_

**Chapter 18 – **_One Step at a Time_

"…_You know Forman, just because you auditioned for the boyfriend part and well, got the job…that means we're still dating before we have any sex…"_

Eric woke up with Jackie in his arms. Last night had started as a nightmare and turned into a dream. Yeah, he spied on her with his partner in crime who wore a boldly flowered Luau shirt yet Fez ended up with Jackie's tennis partner and the outcome was worth it.

She didn't rant and kick him like he would have expected but confided in him, showed him her vulnerability and still gave him the opportunity for redemption. How was he so deserving of someone like Jackie Burkhart?

He dropped a kiss to her sleeping forehead and got up to make some coffee. He had some plans to make and needed a clear head.

*

Jackie stretched and yawned. She slept surprisingly well but missed Eric's warm body. Dang that man could kiss! Yeah, he could possibly be Mr. Right- around-the-corner and she wanted some dates with him under her belt to see how he fared with her in public. He was good last night – he met her anger and didn't flinch and stood up to her – she was impressed.

Eric of Old, she mused, would have stuttered and ran away rather than face her wrath. He would have turned tail and ran but this new Eric was more confident and she liked that about him. Despite the injuries, he didn't use the sympathy card to get his way. Okay, maybe he tried on the first day, but never again after that.

The telephone rang and Jackie grabbed it before it could ring a second time. "Hello?"

"Er, good morning Goddess…it's your loveable friend Fez. Are you still mad at me?"

Jackie crossed her legs and sat back against the headboard. "What do you think you pig? And you stuck him in your little car? Where were your brains?"

"Jackie, he was worried about you…especially after that last date with Mr. Horn Dog. So am I forgiven? Oh, and that slap? Wow! You hit hard. Teena took care of it for me."

"Did you pollute my friend?" Jackie teased.

Fez laughed, "You'll have to ask her, she's still sleeping. We _did it_ all night long!"

Jackie chuckled. "You are incorrigible! Yes, I forgive you but don't take him out in your car ever again."

"Aiiy, Jackie you are so protective…I think you _like_ him." Fez sing-songed into the receiver. "Maybe I do…just keep it to yourself okay?"

"I'll see you guys this weekend okay?"

"Yes and good bye Fez. You're still a pig for corrupting my tennis partner!" Jackie hung up the phone with a smile.

*

Eric came back into the living room with a smile on his face. Jackie had just hung up the phone. "Fez. He's looking for clemency for sticking you in his VW yesterday."

"I thought I heard you call him a pig?"

She grinned. "Well, yeah – he took my tennis partner home and corrupted her with all of his candy – at least I'm hoping…."

Eric perched on the edge of the mattress while Jackie moved over. He scratched his cheek. "I was thinking about something we discussed I think yesterday but it feels like weeks ago. Remember when I asked if this was your house what would you do with it?"

Jackie's eyes got big and she smiled. 'Yes I do!" Eric was glad she was still exuberant about the subject. "Well, I decided I'm going to keep it. Mom didn't really want me to sell it and since it's paid for I may as well live here."

"…and?"

"I plan on having some kids one day…."

"…and?"

"And I want to see what the upstairs looks like. Maybe make Laurie's room into a nursery or a guest room….I haven't been up there in months and I need to see it. Can you give me a tour?"

"Can you take the stairs yet?"

Eric slid off the bed and showed her the pamphlet and his skill at climbing the two stepped deck behind the bed. She applauded. "Okay, but you probably have at least 15 more steps to go.

He hopped back to the bed. "I know, this will probably be an all day thing."

Jackie grinned. "Not necessarily. You can always use your ass."

"Are you being snarky?"

Jackie just laughed. "Get dressed and meet me at the steps. I have to go up anyways and I'll show you the quickest way. Trust me."

*

Eric quickly showered and dressed in his shorts and a tee shirt and crutched though the dining room and there was Jackie sitting at the bottom of the steps looking so pretty. He could feel that little hitch in his chest.

She patted the step next to her. "Sit here." He sat next to her on the second step without too much difficulty. "Now, you may have done this as a child and forgot about it but the going down will be much easier. Give me your crutches."

Eric handed her his crutches and watched as she weaved her bare foot through the bars and handles. "Okay, I have a broken leg like you." He watched as she slid her left arm into the body of her pajama top. 'I have a broken arm. Do you agree that we are even?"

Eric shrugged. "I'm gonna have to say yes. You have one good leg and one good arm and my crutches. How are we going to go upstairs?"

She only smiled and used her right hand and left leg to push her self up to the next step. "Forman, you're lagging." Eric watched her take the next step as she only used her two limbs. He put his weight on his hand and good leg and easily sat on the upper step. When he looked back, Jackie had gained four stairs on him. "Get up here or you don't get a reward." She teased.

It was a short time later that Eric easily mastered the crab-like crawl and made it to the top step. He collapsed lying down on the landing. "Okay, what's my reward?" he nearly gasped.

Jackie set his crutches on the floor next to him. "You get to sit here and rest while I take a quick shower."

He sat up, "What?" He turned to see her challenging smile as she unbuttoned the top of her pajama blouse. "Just rest, I'll be quick."

He opened his mouth to protest and she opened the second button. He struggled to a sitting position and she had unbuttoned the third and last button dropping the top on his head as she sailed into the bathroom.

"But I didn't get to see _anything_!" he complained. Jackie's laugh came from the half open door. Using a chair near Laurie's old bedroom door, Eric managed to get off the floor and sit. She played dirty, but she did get him up the stairs faster than he thought it would take according to the pamphlet!

*

Jackie came out fresh as a daisy wearing shorts and a tank top. "Are you ready for the tour?" Eric used his crutch to get up as she opened the door to his old bedroom. It seemed like yesterday but then a hundred years ago that he slept here. The Farrah Fawcett poster was still on the wall and some other rock band posters tacked to the wall. With the exception of a bare dresser and the twin bed, the room was empty. "Wow, it seems so much smaller than I remember." He sat on the edge of the twin bed. Jackie sat down beside him. "That's because you're older now. But it would make a nice guest room. Put in a day bed and some nice curtains. The dresser would have to be sanded and stained but the wood is good." She opened the door and left him to follow her to his sister's old room.

"I told the Daisy Maid's to get rid of the mattresses. I couldn't stand the thought of anyone sleeping on them. But still the furniture is good and it just needs a little cleaning up and some paint."

Eric realized he never really stepped inside Laurie's room – it was always forbidden but the funny thing was it wasn't any bigger than his old room. Strange.

Jackie was waiting for him in the hallway. "The next room is the master bedroom and it might make you a little nostalgic okay?" She kept her hand on his arm as he opened the door to his parent's old room. He could still smell remnants of his mom's perfume collection.

The bed was gone, but the big mirror dresser was still there. He remembered watching himself in the mirror jumping on the bed when he was a kid. He smiled at the thought of maybe his own son doing the same thing one day. He felt sympathy for his dad, Red Forman lying in bed after the stoke; not able to get up and his mom trying her damndest to be brave.

Jackie could see that he was fighting back tears and she just held out her arms. "Come here." That was the only invitation he needed as she wrapped her arms around him. "I wish none of this had happened to your parents. I wish I could take away some of your pain." She whispered.

He closed his eyes and just gave into the hug. "Jackie, you are doing more for me than you know." She kissed his temple. "I love your dad too. But just like you, he's getting stronger everyday."

Eric sniffed and blinked back a tear. "I keep asking myself how I got so lucky to have been in a car crash then to have you fall into my life. I could have been the sad drunk guy calling Pastor Dave for help."

Jackie was touched. She stepped back to show him more of the room... "Okay, putting the parent thing aside, this is a huge bedroom. There's lots of closet space and windows. A little bit of paint and some furniture and I'll bet it was bigger than your old apartment bedroom."

Eric grinned ruefully. "My old bedroom here was bigger than that." He crutched it to the hallway. "I agree with you on the carpet. It's gotta go! I know someone that will come out tomorrow and remove it." Jackie cheered and applauded. "Okay are you ready for your ride downstairs?"

Jackie produced a piece of cardboard and sat on it. "Give me your crutches." Not having clue what she was doing, he passed down his crutches. "Come on Eric you've ridden a bobsled, Get on behind me!" The minute his cast touched the outside of her leg, Jackie leaned forward and the pair slid a bumpy trip down the staircase. She lifted his leg at the bottom step so he wouldn't crash at the bottom.

"God, I forgot I used to do that. It wasn't as painful when I was younger." Eric moaned and rubbed his butt. "Oh stop. It was the quickest way. Now let's get the chair and I'll show you some other stuff we can do."

*

The morning was spent getting ideas and making phone calls. Jackie's ideas gave him inspiration and with the money in his savings account, he could fix the house up pretty nice.

She came back in the living room with some ice tea and a kiss. "I have to work in the basement for a while. Don't you dare try to come down there! I'll be back up by lunch."

*

It was MacGyver night and Eric didn't even try to change the channel. Jackie came down in Eric's favorite nightgown and snuggled up next to him as the show began. He had a great day and they got a lot accomplished. Tomorrow a crew would be out to remove the carpeting and someone one coming to give him an estimate on turning the den/dining room into a guest bedroom. In fact, despite his injuries, he would be able to get lots of the renovation done before school started in September!

Eric was so lost in thought that it barely registered that Jackie had removed his glasses. "What are you doing? I can't see the show." She pouted impudently, 'It's a rerun, I already know what's going to happen."

Eric gently grabbed his glasses back. "But I don't …so be cool."

She took this as a personal challenge. She rose up and straddled his good leg. "Look at me."

"Wait, MacGyver is doing something with that mirror and his lighter." Eric protested. Jackie laughed and pulled his face around to kiss him. "Did I tell you that the glasses were sexy?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. Jackie only lifted the frames from his head and set them on the table. "It's kind of like I'm Lois Lane and you are Clark Kent." She slid her hands under his tee shirt palming his strong abs and tickling his ribs. "Hey, cut it out." He laughed.

"Call me Lois."

Eric tried to grab her hands but she put them behind his back and leaned into him. "Call me Lois. Clark." Eric was disconcerted because she was sitting on his leg and her body was touching nearly every part of him

She scooted up and pulled the tee-shirt over his head. "Jackie."

"Lois." She corrected him.

"Lois."

"Yes, Clark?" she smiled.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Jackie recalled something Brooke had told her and scooted forward wrapping her legs around his waist until they were sitting face to face. "I'm testing you." She wiggled until she was comfortable and waited for the agony to appear on his face.

With a strangled voice, he rasped, "You're testing me? For what?"

She pulled his hands around her waist and tenderly kissed his mouth. She touched his bare chest with the palms of her hands waiting for the heartbeat. He didn't disappoint.

His hands went up the back of her nightgown and it was like touching silk. He didn't know what she was doing or planning on doing but it was making him crazy. She smelled so damn good and now she was biting his neck and her hair was tickling his chest.

"Call me Lois."

Eric wanted to moan as she wriggled in his lap but it was taking all of his self-control not too. "Lois… you have to get out of my lap. I have a date with Jackie Burkhart tomorrow."

Jackie squealed and threw her arms around his neck. "You passed! Eric you passed the test!" She planted little kisses all over his face and rolled off to sit happily beside him.

Eric took a deep breath. "Hey Jackie, I need to take a walk, tell me how this ends." He said shakily. Jackie watched him leave and immediately called Brooke. "Oh Brooke, the third one works perfectly!"

Jackie smiled and pulled the covers up over her lap. Not _a eunuch, not a eunuch!_

*


	19. Chapter 19 Previous Affairs

**Author Note**: _Just a busy little fluffy chapter…and what was it about Brock?_

**Chapter 19 **– _Previous Affairs_

The carpet removal team showed up bright and early. Jackie was thrilled to see the crew prying up and carrying out the old 1970's orange shag rug. Eric was moved to the kitchen as the bed was upended so the carpet could be removed and then he crutched it back in as they attacked the staircase and upper floors.

Jackie stood by Eric as the Construction Team Leader gave him the rough estimate on renovating the two first floor rooms into a large guest room. "You know Mr. Forman; these formal dining rooms are a thing of the past. We can give you a great window here; you already have the fittings for a wood burning stove and we can make the entrance to the living area as double doors or sliders."

Jackie and Eric looked at each other and both said, "Double doors." The man left him with an estimate for time and materials and the office phone number if they decided to use his company. Eric looked at the price and thought it was fair. "Can you start on Monday?"

Jackie smiled at Eric – their plans were happening. The wood floor beneath them needed nothing more than a good sanding and gloss. The corner post of the staircase and the banisters matched the floor perfectly. Installing the carpet had been a crime.

Eric turned to his associate in home remodeling, "I believe we have a date tonight. I'll meet you at the van." Jackie grinned and clapped her hands. "I thought you might have forgotten! Oh, I have to hurry!" He watched her run up the steps and went to clean up himself.

*

Eric was sitting in the side door of the van when Jackie came out wearing a pink floral sundress. She had put her hair up and went light on the make up giving her a look like she was 22 instead of 32. Her little sandals matched the bag and she was just beaming with happiness.

"Okay. Where are we going?"

He could help but grin. "It's in Kenosha; you'll just have to follow my directions." Jackie loved surprises and she was excited about the date. Eric had somehow managed to fit his cast into a pair of jeans and was wearing a button down shirt. He shaved and was wearing some nice cologne, Jackie was impressed.

They arrived at the Kenosha city limits in no time and Eric told her to follow the main street until it ended in a little cul-de-sac filled with steakhouses and coffee clubs and small diners. Jackie asked where to park and Eric pointed out a spot in front of Esme's Italian Food.

Jackie knew that this was not a cheap restaurant but it had an excellent 5 star rating. She was just bubbling. She jumped out and ran around to get the wheelchair but Eric stopped her. "No chair tonight. I'm using the crutches. I need to be taller than you." He teased.

Eric told the wait staff of his reservations and the couple was led to a table where an extra chair was placed for Eric's cast. He politely waited for Jackie to sit and helped slide her chair in. She was pleased with his courtesy and watched as he carefully sat bringing his leg up to the seat of the chair.

"Eric, this is a nice place. How did you get reservations? They are always booked on Friday nights."

Eric winked. "I have some friends in high places…." He loved the smile she gave him. He loved the fact that she dressed special just for him. "I think you'll like dinner tonight."

She smiled back. "I think I will too."

*

Her linguine was perfect and the scampi was magnificent. Eric was a wonderful companion and this date was the nicest she had in years. He wanted to hear everything she had to say and he listened attentively and it wasn't as though he was pretending just to get in bed with her. It was refreshing not to have to worry if he had an agenda.

"Eric, about my tennis date…."

Eric put down his fork. "I think that night ended well."

She smiled. "You didn't have to worry about Brock."

"What, me? Worried? Nah….But what about Mr. Lawyer?"

Jackie smiled. "He actually _liked_ Teena's brother better. If I had been a guy….I might have had a chance." The look of relief on Eric's face was priceless. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"So, I didn't really need to be concerned…."

Jackie smirked but smiled, "No, but the whole spying thing was pretty sweet of you. I mean, now when I look back on it."

Eric felt a boost to his ego. "Well, broken leg or not, I would have been there to save you."

"Well, now that you know some of my horrible dating experiences, tell me about yours."

Eric's dating history was equally horrible. But, if Jackie was opening up and talking about hers, the least he could do would be to share. "I had a brief romance once and it ended badly."

Jackie's eyes were dark as she listened to his tale of woe. "…..so she wanted you to choose between her or your family? Didn't she realize that at some point she _may_ have been a part of your family?"

Eric thought back about Claire – she never would have fit into the Forman clan. She didn't have the fight and Red Forman could reduce her to tears at a moments notice. "No, she just thought it would be easier for me to leave my folks and move to Iowa."

Jackie reached across the table to cover Eric's hand. "That's terrible. You have the best parents in the world. No one should ever make you choose."

They spent the rest of the evening over dessert and candlelight sharing intimate secrets no one knew about each other and Eric found that he was falling more and more in love with the beautiful Jackie Burkhart.

*

They got home late and Eric could feel a throbbing in his leg, but the butterflies in his stomach and the pounding of his heart surpassed his pain. Jackie came around with the chair which he collapsed into without apology. She knew he was hurting but he did this for her and she was thrilled. Not about his pain of course but that all of his effort was for her pleasure.

"Hang on, we have that little hop." She warned him as they rode over the patio door threshold. Eric decided that he'd have that little trip hazard fixed during the renovation as well.

No words were needed as Jackie helped Eric remove the jeans from his cast. His leg had swollen a bit and she really wondered how he got the pants on in the first place. She untied his tennis show and pulled it off. Eric closed his eyes as she unbuttoned his shirt.

He could feel her tufts of breath as she undid each button and he was aware of her hands as she swept the shirt off his shoulders. His leg was carefully placed on the stack of pillows and she lowered him to the bed with a light kiss to his lips. "Get some sleep Eric. I had the loveliest evening that I can ever remember."

She put his medication in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He opened his eyes briefly and smiled his thanks. Her eyes twinkled as she re-capped the water and turned off the light.

Eric was briefly aware of the shower running and he yielded to exhaustion and some really good painkillers.

*

Jackie came down from her shower and looked at the sleeping form on the bed. She had to give him an A+ for effort – no other guy ever went out of his way to make sure she was happy the way Eric did. Well, there was Cole for brief moment until that relationship crashed. Stephen Hyde was just a burnout living on his daddy's money and lucked into a job.

Jackie climbed on the mattress and sat next to Eric. The man in front of her was not the same 20 year old that came back from Africa. He was mature and smart and still loved his parents – that was a rare quality. He would be a fine parent one day.

Jackie rolled onto her back and looked at the ceiling. One day she hoped to be a mother but those days were slipping by so quickly. Her life goals were so easy, get rich – get married – have a family. So here she was, financially stable due to the sale of her shampoo – had a great guy who wanted to be Mr. Right and a ticking biological clock. If she had a baby now, but the time the kid was 18, she'd be 50!

How old was Kitty when she had Eric? She definitely wasn't a young chicken and she was a great older mother! Hmmmm…Jackie Burkhart would have the patience to be an older parent since she had a fine example of one in her teenage years. What would Eric think about that? She'd have to ask him his thoughts on that subject!

Jackie crawled up next to his side and lifted his casted arm so she could put her head on his shoulder. In all of the world and for the first time in her life, she felt safe, appreciated and though the words hadn't been said…she felt loved.

*


	20. Chapter 20 Good Bye King Mattress

**Author Note**: _I goofed and posted chapter 21 first! I Know! This is my gratuitous and self indulgent little chapter_…._There will be smut alerts halfway through the story…come on… you know it was going there! _

**Chapter 20 **– Good_ Bye King Mattress_

The beginning of August marked the hottest part of summer and Eric had graduated to a walking boot. He still needed a crutch and was able to put some weight on his leg but the pain was tolerable. His left arm was declared healed and that was a celebration of itself. (He could now hug Jackie without pulling her hair!)

The Burkhart/Forman team spent almost all of the last couple of weeks sanding and staining the upstairs furniture from the dark wood to a lighter color. With the floors all shiny and clean, the rooms seemed more inviting. Eric gave in to Jackie's suggestion of putting in blinds to help eliminate dust. They would go to bed exhausted only to wake up and do it all over again.

School started in three weeks and Eric was anxious to get the house finished and tomorrow they were waiting for the delivery of the daybeds for his and Laurie's old rooms.

Jackie was also waiting for the delivery of the furniture from her old apartment. She and Eric decided that it was time to get the bed out of the living room and start living like real people. Eric could tackle the stairs but usually to use the bathtub. Tomorrow there would be a real bed and clothes in the master bedroom. It was unspoken, but they would just be graduating from the king size bed to Jackie's queen.

Fez had come by earlier in the day to help Pastor Dave move leftover furniture out to the moving van. The little discarded knick-knacks, crocheted doilies and rolls of wall paper were a welcome gift for his congregation. Jackie had long stripped the kitchen clean and painted all the walls a crisp eggshell and created a colorful tile back splash on the sink. She put small plants in the window sill and used Kitty's old cheese shredders to make a light fixture to hang over the kitchen table. Fez even helped her take the refrigerator out to the garage for a new paint job. Brown to white in one weekend and the kitchen looked new and contemporary.

It made Eric smile and that was her intention. So later in the evening, after she finished cooking, Eric still got the chore of washing dishes. "You know, if you fork out some more bucks, you can get a dishwasher…" she thought she'd let that one sink in the back of his mind for a while.

*

WARNING - **SMUT ALERT** - WARNING

Eric was emptying the sink of the last rinsed dish when he felt a pair of arms come from behind and give him a hug. He could feel Jackie's face on his back and it made him smile. "Aren't you done yet?" she asked.

Eric laughed softly, "Almost." She maneuvered herself between the sink and his chest. He kissed her nose and dropped the plate in the strainer. Jackie hopped up on the edge and Eric froze. He had this fantasy before – _no way!_

"So I was thinking…" she started to say and Eric was mesmerized. "Tonight is our last night in the living room so I figured we could do something… special…because you know…it is a bed…and we are…." Eric stepped into the V of her legs and his lips came crashing down on hers.

Her hands came up to his shoulders and she threaded her fingers through his hair to the nape of his neck. His kiss was hot and this fantasy of his was replaying through his mind. She may not have been wearing the special nightgown, but this little tank top was just as good.

He buried his face in her neck and she reached down and grabbed his hips forcing him to hop closer to the sink where she wrapped her strong legs around his thighs. "Do you know how sexy you are when you work without a shirt?" she said low so the words vibrated against his cheek. "I've been thinking about you all day."

She took his hands from her face and put them on her hips and kissed him so softly it didn't feel like a kiss but rather a shared breath. She murmured, "I know you've been waiting a long time." She pulled the elastic band from her hair which tumbled like a waterfall over her shoulders. "I know you've wanted to touch me…" She gripped the hem of her tank top and slowly pulled it over her head letting it float to the floor.

Eric wobbled and his crutch fell to the linoleum but Jackie's strong thighs held him in place. "Do it Eric…touch me." She reached a hand behind her back and unsnapped her bra. The skinny straps were just hanging off her shoulders. He brushed them away and the bra fell to the floor.

Jackie pulled his face to her and kissed him, hot, wet and searing his mouth. His hands went around her naked back and down her ribs to come back up beneath the curve of her breasts. He pressed his palms against the softest skin he ever felt and was aware of her heart thudding beneath his fingers. He could smell the wonderful scent of her hair and felt her mouth coaxing kisses from him.

His head dropped to her breast where his lips followed his fingers. Jackie gasped and clutched his hair allowing his mouth to trail kisses from her chest to her neck, her shoulders, and her throat and then back to her trembling lips. She felt his warm breath on her face and she was aroused at the thought of Eric kissing her naked breasts while she was perched on the kitchen sink. His mouth was hot against her neck and it sent shivers up and down her spine.

She tugged the front of his tee shirt from his pants and pushed it up and over his stomach. She leaned forward and scrapped her tiny teeth over his nipples – the action shot a jolt of heat straight to his groin. She inched forward on the sink and slowly, so very slowly let go of his legs and slid down the front of his body. She almost hummed. "I need you Eric."

She reached for the band of his jeans and picked up the crutch placing it under his arm. He caught his balance and lost it again when her hand ran down the front of his fly and he knew that she _knew_ how aroused he was.

She bit her lip and walked backwards pulling him along by the waist of his pants. "C'mon baby, just a few more steps." Eric was walking but everything else was a blur except for Jackie's face smiling at him and her big eyes enticing him to follow. Then there was her hand unbuttoning his fly as she pulled him closer towards the bed.

He reached the bed and collapsed on the mattress pulling her on top of him. Jackie smiled against his mouth, "We need to give this bed a good farewell – don't you agree?" She crawled backwards to stand on the floor between his legs.

Eric was speechless as his fantasy was coming true. He rose up on his elbows as Jackie slipped her fingers into the top of her shorts, the gold belly ring winking in the dim light.. She saw his eyes darken and his mouth fall slack as she shimmied out of the shorts. He watched her move to stand between his parted legs. "Do you want me, Eric?"

His breath came out in a whoosh and he could only look at her and say, "Wow."

She leaned forward and looked at him with glowing eyes while her fingers deftly worked the zipper in his fly. She started to tug his pants and smiled, "If I hurt you, I'll kiss it better."

Eric swallowed hard and watched as she pulled his pants down his legs and carefully over the cast. She smiled. "That's good…so far…." The mattress dipped as she put her knee on the V between his legs and then swung her other leg over to straddle his waist. "Years of being a cheerleader has its advantages."

She leaned down over his naked torso and kissed him. He returned with a soft kiss as they explored each others mouths, tasting each other, memorizing the feel of lips on lips. Each small kiss leant itself to another deeper wanting, needing kind of kiss until just kissing was not enough.

Eric slid his hands over her bare back, his fingertips tracing her spine, giving her goose bumps. She smiled against his mouth and sat up, pressing against the growing arousal inside his boxers. She rose up on her knees and tugged on the thin elastic of her panties, pulling one side down and then the other. "Rip it for me Eric. Tear it off."

Eric grabbed the thin patch of silk and tugged and it came apart in his hand. He watched as she pushed his boxers down achingly slow… her hands touching him and then not touching him – making him crazy. With his boxers down around his ankles, Eric never felt more naked in his life but he was never this turned on before either.

Jackie lifted her hair and rising slightly, leaned into him, kissing him, trapping his hardness between their soft bellies – the tiny ring pressing against his erection. Eric groaned and grabbed her to him, his hands moving over her hips and down to cup her. Jackie writhed against his lap as his kissed her feverishly. "God, you're making me crazy here."

She touched his took his hand and pressed it to her cheek. "I know. I wanted to do it this way." She turned her face and took his finger into her mouth and Eric almost lost it as she sucked on it.

She rose back on her knees and touched herself intimately; touched him and with a gentle roll of her hips, he slipped inside the most heat he could never have imagined. Eric moaned and gripped her waist pulling her down against him. Jackie wrapped her legs around his hips and using her arms, pulled him to a sitting position.

Eric was surprised they were face to face but she only smiled. "I heard that this position was good for lower leg fractures."

Eric growled low in his throat and kissed her fiercely. Jackie set the pace raising and lowering herself… teasing him…teasing herself. Eric caressed her stomach and toyed with the golden ring, his hands slid lower earning some soft little moans as he pressed lightly between her legs.

His long fingers cupped her gently as she rode him; she captured his mouth with hers and trembled. Eric coaxed her along with every stroke until she was squeezing him and he almost couldn't take it anymore.

"Jackie…please." He nearly begs. She pushes him back on the mattress and kneels over him never breaking contact, "Oh God Eric… do that again." He whispers into her ear, "Tell me…" and at the same time, he rubs against her and she's moaning helplessly as her muscles tense and clenches him so tightly it feels like he's bursting into flame. Eric surges into her one last time as she collapses on his chest. She's boneless, he's spent, she's sweating and he's more in love than he ever thought possible.

**ALERT – SMUT HAS ENDED FOR THIS CHAPTER – ALERT **

Jackie rolled off his chest and into the crook of his shoulder. "Eric, we need to do that again – and often."

Eric could only smile and wish he smoked cigarettes. This was one of those moments. That wasn't just sex – it was love – love expressed between two people who shared intimacies that even some married couples never shared. He marveled that she even researched positions they could "do it" in.

He rolled to his side and brushed the damp hair from her face. "You are just amazing." She grinned at him, "Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls."

"No - Just you. I've never met anyone like you and I can't imagine you not in my life."

"Well, starting tomorrow, you only have to make one trip up the stairs and that will be at night, where I will be waiting for you. Think you can handle that?"

He smiled back. "Oh yeah…I think I can handle that really good!"

*

**A/N**: Hope I didn't confuse anyone - I had two chapter 20's and this was supposed to be first! Ack - You almost missed my_ doing it _chapter!


	21. Chapter 21 Suprises and Housewarmings

**Author Note**_: Gosh the ending is coming so soon…. A fluffy little chapter that made my heart go..aww….._

**Chapter 20 – **_Surprises and Housewarmings_

The first week was spent arranging furniture and making the house look like a home. Jackie's leather furniture complemented the new window treatments and a careful arrangement of sofa and loveseat actually enabled Eric to move around the living room without the crutches. He loved the recliner for the times he had to elevate his leg.

Now that the upstairs had beds and blinds, Fez and the Kelso's were invited for an official housewarming party. Eric was proud of the fact that his friends could actually spend the night in his home.

The new downstairs guest room was like a showcase. Eric's old television was hidden in an armoire and a refurnished dresser from the old upstairs master bedroom now graced the new room. Pictures of Red and Kitty Forman from younger days were placed in antique frames and artfully decorated the wall behind the bed. The building contractor installed a new wood burning stove and Jackie added a couple of rocking chairs and a lamp for reading on a cold winter night. It looked like this room had been waiting for someone to sleep there.

Eric loved his new master bedroom. All the little Jackie touches that made him happy were apparent everywhere in the room. Soft pillows and sachets of intoxicating scents were scattered in the closet. Fat candles of lavender and vanilla lined the top of the dresser. A nice stereo was installed with speakers near the ceiling and the bed was so much for comfortable than the rental.

The only thing in the house that didn't change was the basement. Jackie was nearing the end of her hair conditioner experiment and didn't want to jinx the formula until it was completed. She loved what they had done to the house and even though it was just the two of them, the house no longer felt empty.

*

Eric was paying bills in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. He looked up to see his friend Greg at the patio. He waved at Greg to come in. Greg was grinning happily as he sat down. "Hey buddy, I got some good news."

Jackie came up from the basement with a basket of clean clothes. "Hi Greg!" She stopped and gave Eric an overly dramatic kiss just for Greg's benefit and waltzed through the living room doors.

"Dude, are you…" 

Eric smiled smugly. "Yes I am."

"Damn. This is your lucky day" Greg slid an envelope towards Eric. Puzzled, Eric looked at it, the address seemed vaguely familiar. Greg was beaming, "It's a settlement from the insurance company. I got a brand new car and some cash for my pain and suffering.'

Eric was curious. He slid a finger along the flap and opened the envelope to find a fat check that made his eyes bulge. He was speechless. This would replenish his savings and then some!

"The other driver's insurance company got copies of the accident report and some sad pictures of your injuries and the fact that you still can't walk. The jury demanded repayment of all your hospital expenses and that nice little compensation for your pain and suffering." Something was different; Greg couldn't put his finger on it. "What happened here Eric?"

Eric looked up from the check, 'What?"

Greg looked around. "Something's changed. What happened during the summer?"

"Oh, you mean the house! I decided not to sell it so Jackie and I fixed it up and man, I nearly depleted my savings, but it came out great. Care for the tour?"

Greg admired the kitchen. "Well, first off, I love that you got rid of the ugly wallpaper."

Jackie came back in the kitchen for a drink. "Amen brother!" She laughed. "Are you giving the tour?"

"Yeah, he's been here at the 'before' stage, so I want to see him fall down at the 'after' stage." Eric quipped. Greg followed Jackie through the doors and he was surprised that just a few changes made such a difference in the old Forman house. "Dude, you could sell this for maybe three times the market value."

"Nah, my folks gave it to me and I'm gonna keep it in the family. Check out the dinning room."

Greg walked through a set of double doors that had never been there before and was astounded at the size of the guest bedroom. 'Man, this is bigger than my apartment!"

Eric smiled. "Check out the upstairs." Greg approved of the hardwood floors and glossed wood of the landing at the top of the stairs. He hollered down, "Eric, if you ever want a roommate - call me!"

Eric looked at Jackie. "He's kidding of course. Eric handed her the envelope. She took it with a puzzled look on her face. "It's from the insurance company."

She gulped; this was a very large amount of money! They spent nearly all of Eric's savings to fix the house and with this check he could get a new car and still have a lot of money left to replenish his bank account. Eric couldn't stop smiling.

Greg skipped down the stairs. "Man, this is sweet. So when are the two of you getting married?"

Eric looked at Jackie who looked back at Eric, they felt married already. "Soon," Eric said weakly, hoping Jackie didn't kick him. Greg smiled, "Well congratulations, you guys have it really going on. I'll see you next month when school starts."

Greg gave the pair a hug and let himself out the door.

*

Jackie sat on the stair step. Marriage never crossed her mind. She and Eric moved together so well and their relationship grew from friendship into something she had been looking for all of her life.

Eric watched all the expressions shifting over her face. Was he being an idiot by telling Greg that he was going to marry Jackie when he never asked her? Yeah, that was a dumbass move if he ever had one.

"Um, Eric, I need to take care of something in the basement. I'll see you at dinner okay?" She fled the room before he could say anything. Eric sighed and went to sit in the recliner, flipping on the TV as he elevated his leg.

There wasn't really anything on so he just kept flipping channels until he saw a face he was very familiar with.

She was a couple years younger but the smile and twinkling eyes were right there on the screen demonstrating her Fancy and Free shampoo. Eric didn't need the volume turned on, he watched with rapt attention to every move she made and how her hands, _he loved those hands_, slid through the models hair like it was silken.

This was what Nancy saw when she wanted Jackie's autograph. His mom saw this and wanted shampoo samples. Eric realized he never really knew what Jackie did and the enormity of her success hit him like a brick. Her shampoo creation could possibly go national. That was why Fez was so successful and Jackie could have all this free time to create a conditioner.

Still, he did want to marry her. He just needed to ask the right way and keep her in this house she built with him. She was a Forman; she just didn't know it yet!

*

"Aiiy! I'm here already, what was the rush?" Fez complained loudly. Eric gave his brown friend a hug. "It's not for the party, you have to wait for that, but I need you to help me with a surprise for Jackie."

Fez looked suspicious. "Why, so she can slap me again? No." Eric only grinned. "Fez, I want to propose to her and I need your help picking out the ring."

Fez nearly squealed like a woman. "Oh Eric, that is exciting! I know all of the jewelry my goddess loves." Eric was counting on that. "So you'll give me a ride into town?" 

Fez grinned. "Let me get the van keys so it will be easier. Where's Jackie?"

"She's working in the basement. But don't tell her okay?"

"Aiiy, don't worry, I'll tell her that we're going to… um…going to…"

"Look at new cars. When my cast comes off I need to get a car."

Fez looked at Eric, "You're really getting a new car?"

Eric smiled. "Yeah, maybe I'll get that BMW." He teased. Fez punched him in the shoulder. "Don't you dare get my sexy car!"

*

Jackie didn't want to think about her non-marriage existence. She was nearly finished with the formula for the conditioner. In between the renovation work, she would slip down here and combine her ingredients and found that mint oil was the missing ingredient. She dipped a balsa stick into the mix and spread it on her paper and smelled it. Coconut, mangoes, apricot and mint scented the paper and it smelled wonderful. She wet the tresses of her human hair wig and applied the oils and rinsed. She grinned…this was it!"

"Jackie are you down here? It's Fezzie! I need to borrow your van!"

Jackie turned around. "Fez I think I did it! Come here." Fez walked over to the rectangular table she had set up and examined the wig hair and smelled it. "Nice." He said appreciatively. "What was your last ingredient?" She picked up the beaker. "Just a touch of mint oil."

Fez touched the tresses again. "I think you're right. Jackie you may be going on tour again!"

The pair of them started squealing and laughing and jumping up and down. Fez was singing how he was going to be a rich man and Jackie was just glad that she had created the conditioner.

Fez's eye was caught by a large piece of construction board. "What's this?"

Jackie looked up. "Oh, I call that The Recovery Board. I took a bunch of pictures of Eric the first week he was out of the hospital and then every other day." She pointed to the long cast on his leg and the sling across his chest. Fez remembered all the stitches and big purple bruises. As he went picture to picture, he could see the subtle changes as Eric healed and the happiness that started to show in his eyes.

"Has Eric seen this?"

Jackie blushed. "No, he can't make the basement steps yet and this is something I did for me. I wanted to prove I could heal him and if you look at him now, you would never remember this poor sad guy in the top left picture."

"Wow Jackie. You could call our conditioner, _Recovery_. I mean you started it here in the old basement and our boy upstairs is nearly recovered…"

Jackie gasped. "That's perfect! If someone only uses the conditioner, it will take care of whatever nasty shampoo they use. But if you put the shampoo and conditioner together…."

Fez's eyes got big. "We'll be millionaires!" Jackie swatted him. "No, we can sell the line to a big corporation and get money for the rest of our lives! I've been thinking about a skin care regimen. Actually, I've been using it and some aloe on Eric's scars."

"What scars?" Fez asked.

Jackie squealed again. "I Know!!!!"

Fez finally remembered why he was in the basement. "Your keys please." She pulled the keys out of her pocket. "Why do you need the van?"

"Oh, Eric is looking for a car. He goes back to work in a few weeks and wants to see what's out there." Fez hoped that was a good lie.

"Okay – make sure he doesn't pick a stick shift, it's gonna be six months before he can really put weight on that leg and he needs to be careful."

"Yes goddess…I know that stuff. Go back to work and make me rich!"

*

"You are sure. Absolutely positively sure this is the one?" Eric didn't care about the price; he just wanted to make sure it was the right ring." Fez was getting impatient.

"Do you want to match the belly ring or what?"

Eric blushed. "Um, well, not necessarily."

"Good, because I told her to change it up to a diamond if she starts wearing low cut jeans this winter. It's flashier."

A diamond piercing on her belly? _How sexy as that!_ Eric got that kick in the gut feeling again. He picked up the princess cut stone and looked at the setting, it was nice and it would look good on her finger. Eric held out the ring to the jeweler. "I'll take it."

Fez still wanted to look at new cars. With the conclusion of Jackie finishing her formula, Fez could change cars when that first check came in. Eric sat in many cars and although he couldn't really drive just yet, he decided he liked the new 1994 Ford Explorer SUV. It was like a truck and a car and the anti-lock brakes and safety features really appealed to him.

He put a nice down payment on the car and told the salesman he would be back later to pick it up. By the time he and Fez got done, Eric realized he just spent a years worth of his salary and he felt great!

*

It was over dinner that Eric told Jackie about his latest purchase. He slid a brochure of the car towards her plate. "This is nice Eric. You told me you used to drive a Honda, but I can totally see you driving this. When do you pick it up?"

He grinned. "I can't drive it yet, but I think I'll have Kelso pick it up for me this weekend."

Jackie looked skeptical. "Are you sure you want Michael driving your brand new car?"

Eric gulped. "Oh, maybe Brooke could drive it for me."

Jackie smiled. "Now, you're thinking smart – oh, hey, I have some good news too!" Jackie explained how she finished her conditioner and drove it to the lab in Fez's VW and the technicians were going to start their testing immediately.

"If I pass all the tests, then by next month, I can start my home shopping tours again!"

Eric knew what this meant to her, she had been working so hard in addition to helping him in his handicapped state. "I'm very proud of you. You are like the miracle worker."

She blushed. "It's all in the name of beauty. Now if I can only cure Marge's blue hair." She laughed. "Oh! It's MacGyver night! No fair doing it on the couch again. We have to watch tonight!"

Eric laughed. "Yes ma'am. Oh, I decided to get a dishwasher after all." Jackie clapped. "Good, cuz I've had this fantasy about kissing you in the bathtub…we need to do something about that cast…."

Eric smiled. His life was finally coming together.

*

Brooke was carrying a large palm tree, followed by teenage Betsy Kelso who looked like she was doomed for life. Kelso dropped their overnight bags on the floor. "Jackie, this does not look like the same kitchen! It's gorgeous! Betsy plopped down at the table. 'Hi Aunt Jackie."

Jackie smiled at the sullen teen. "Hello my sweetie. I have some surprises for you in the basement." The slim chestnut head popped up with a smile, "Really?"

Jackie nodded. "After I show your mom and dad around, I'll take you down okay?"

Eric came into the kitchen when he heard the car drive up. Kelso was ecstatic to see his friend looking almost normal. "Dude, you're in a walking cast! AWESOME! Can I have your old wheelchair? I have this idea about rocket boosters and the chair."

Eric laughed. "No, But I do like the way you think! Come in." Jackie took the tree as the Kelso's followed Eric into the living room. Brooke loved it immediately. "This is gorgeous! Look at all the light and the floors are stunning."

Kelso jumped over the sofa to land on the soft leather. "Hey, wasn't this from Jackie's apartment?" Jackie smiled. "Yes it was."

Brooke looked at her. "You guys moved in together!"

Kelso gave Eric a high-five. "Dude! I'm taking this little wooly rug home with me - just wanted to give you a heads up." Brooke liked the lambskin run under the coffee table. The setting was cozy and leant towards conversation or some good television watching. Jackie set the palm in front of the window for some light.

"Come see the new bedroom." Jackie opened the double doors." Kelso's jaw dropped. "I remember eating turkey in here with your parents but it didn't look like this! Hey, look at this picture, Red has hair! He had _red_ _hair_. Wow, I didn't know that. Man, your dad is old!"

Brooke laughed and opened the armoire surprised to see the TV and amazed at the closet space. "Jackie, this is like those rooms at a Bed and Breakfast. The stove in the corner is perfect."

Eric grinned. "Well, you guys get to be the first guests to sleep over." Jackie smiled, "The bathroom is through that door."

Eric hobbled his way upstairs to continue the tour while Jackie took Betsy to the basement.

The old cracked yellow couch was still there but pushed in a corner with the small television hooked up to a Nintendo console. Betsy got excited. '"That's for me?" she asked? Jackie looked at the miniature version of Brooke. "Yes sweetie. When I was just a little older than you, I used to hang out down here. It always felt safe and I loved it. The old people stayed upstairs and I could just watch TV or eat Mrs. Forman's popsicles."

"Oh, so while you old people are upstairs, I'll be down here playing video games." Betsy laughed. Jackie tickled her god-daughter. "Are you calling me old?" Betsy laughed, "Well, yeah…cuz it's true!"

Jackie smiled. "Wow, I did get old didn't I? That doesn't matter; I have something else for you." Jackie pulled a plastic box from a shelf and put it on the old wooden spool that was used as a table. "This is for you. All the colors are brand news so you can paint your toes one different color than your fingers."

"Wow, it's a beauty kit!" Betsy was awed. "Mine?"

"Yours sweetie. Oh, and Uncle Fez will be by later to French braid your hair." Jackie started to get up but Betsy held her hand. "Aunt Jackie can I talk to you?"

"Sure Bets. What's on your mind?"

Betsy got shy, "There's this boy I like that dad hates." Jackie sat back on the sofa. "Why do you think he hates him?"

"Because I let him kiss me." Betsy confessed. Jackie's eyes got big – Betsy Kelso was that old already? "Well honey, do you like him because your dad hates him or because you think he's nice?"

"Well, sometimes he can be real nice but mostly because dad hates him."

Jackie laughed at the thought of a younger version of Michael Kelso out there in the world putting the moves on Betsy Kelso. "Honey, can I tell you something that you probably won't understand for a couple of years?"

"Sure. You say stuff so much better than mom."

"Betsy, you are going to fall in love about six more times than you know, but while you think you are in love with this guy, ask yourself, does he love me just as much? Do I love him because I need him or do I need him because I love him?"

Betsy pondered that and with a clarity Jackie didn't know she possessed she whispered, "I _need_ Eric because I _love_ him…."

Jackie stood up, "Oh honey, I glad I talked to you! Stay down here as long as you like and I have a bedroom upstairs for tonight okay? Snacks are in the fridge and have fun!"

Jackie ran up the stairs as fast as she could. She needed to find Mr. Right here in the house. Not in the kitchen, she looked in the living room and they were watching a movie. Jackie waved frantically to Eric.

"Excuse me guys, I'm needed in the kitchen." Eric used the couch and love seat to get to the kitchen door. Jackie ambushed him with a kiss. "Whoa, I was just in the next room. If you want, I can come back in and we can do this again…"

"You idiot." She laughed. "I love you. It just hit me like a rock in the head and if I didn't tell you before, I'm telling you now. I just think that we are perfectly suited for each other and if I couldn't see you ever again, I would want you to know today just how much I love you Eric Forman."

Eric blinked and felt the air whoosh out of his lungs. "I can't believe you said it before I had a chance. Jackie, I've been carrying this thing around for a couple of days waiting for the right moment." Eric reached into his front pocket and pulled out the most exquisite diamond Jackie had ever seen.

"I can't get on one knee for you but I would be so honored if you would marry me… one day."

A big fat tear fell from her eye as he slid the perfect diamond ring on her finger. "I would love to be your wife. I don't need a ring for that; I just needed for you to ask me."

"Oh, then I can take this back cuz it cost a fortune!" He teased. Jackie swatted him but laughed tearfully. "It's mine now and one day soon… you'll be my husband." She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him closer, on her tip topes and hugged him tight. She was afraid that if she said anything else she would start crying again.

Eric closed his eyes as he felt her hot happy tears on his neck. He never felt so relieved and scared in his life. What if she said no? But she didn't and being in love with Jackie was so easy and he felt exposed in a good way. She loved him and life didn't get much better than this!

Kelso came through the doors and groaned, "Ah, are you too at it again?" Jackie wiped her eyes. "Michael, Eric proposed to me." She held out her ring so he could see.

"Dude! You are totally AWESOME! Wait, now I have to get Brooke a bigger ring! You jerk!" Brooke heard the commotion and nearly knocked Kelso over as she pushed the door open. "What happened?"

Jackie showed her the ring and the girls were squealing and Eric smiled. Fez already knew – this was going to be a great evening.

*


	22. Chapter 22 A Break in the Routine

**Author Note**_: They're back……_

**Chapter 22 – **_A Break in the Routine_

Jackie woke up early that morning. Fall was in the air was the leaves were changing color. She held up her left hand and the diamond on her finger sparkled in the early morning sun. This year had been such a trip – she started out living with someone who hated her and now she was engaged to be married.

Kitty and Red were happy with Eric's choice of an addition to the Forman clan and said they would welcome her with open arms. Jackie finally had her family.

She rolled over and snuggled up against Eric's chest. His arm fell over her waist and he pulled her closer. With a sleepy voice he murmured, "Are you getting frisky again? I don't think I have the energy."

She smiled to herself. _He did…oh yeah…he did_. "I'm just excited." She whispered. Eric kissed the back of her head. "Why are you excited?"

She rolled over, "Well next week I get to start rehearsing my first infomercial."

He opened his eyes. "So everybody will be seeing you on TV?" She smiled, "Oh yeah, and I'll make sure this big rock gets plenty of airtime too!"

"Silly girl. Wake me up when it's time to go to school." Jackie rubbed his chest. "But you don't have to go to school today, it's Columbus Day. No school for Eric."

Well, that woke him up. "I love school holidays." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Let me brush my teeth. Keep the covers warm!"

Eric loved the house – it was still the Forman home he grew up with but it had new touches that made it modern and comfortable. He and Jackie replaced the medicine cabinet with a new mirror and globed lights which made shaving so much easier. Well, then Jackie liked to shave him in here so that was fun too. Her little bath fantasy came true the day after his cast came off. He spit then rinsed his toothbrush and put it back on the shelf.

Eric rushed back into the bedroom and jumped into bed. "It looks like we should start thinking about using the central heat."

Jackie smiled, "Or we could get some ugly orange carpeting…." Eric climbed over and growled against her neck, "I'll get you some ugly orange carpeting Missy!."

Jackie giggled and pulled him down for a kiss. "Did you ever think we could be this happy?" Eric rolled on his back taking her with him. "No, it never crossed my mind. One minute I'm moving out of Greg's apartment and the next I'm stuck in an empty house with one bossy girl. Who would have thought?"

The telephone rang disturbing the early morning quiet. Jackie looked at Eric, "It's only 7:00 o'clock – who would be calling this early?"

Eric rolled and grabbed the phone. "Hello?"

"Eric, honey! You're home! What are you doing home on a school day?" Kitty Forman scolded. "Hi mom, and what are you doing calling at 7:00 o'clock in the morning?"

"Sweetheart its 8 o'clock in Miami. Now answer my question."

"It's Columbus Day mom. No school. How's dad?"

"Oh sweetie, he's great! He's talking so much I can't shut him up. The doctors says his left side will be a little weak for some time but with regular exercise, he'll be able to get full use of his hands again."

Eric sat up in bed. "Mom, that's great. I finally got my cast off and I can't tell you how much better it is when you can walk!"

"Well, you dad still has a walker for those times his left leg gets a little weak but he is 90 percent better."

"Mom that is the best news ever. Can I talk to him?" Kitty handed off the phone, "Hello Eric." The sound of his dad's voice strong as ever brought a lump to Eric's throat. He never thought he's be happy to hear that sound again. "Hey dad, you sound good."

"Yeah, well, your dumbass Uncle Marty has shacked up with Aunt Paula and I can't get any rest here." Eric smiled because he could hear his mom arguing with his dad in the background.

"Eric, honey, let me call you back." The phone clicked off and Eric turned to Jackie. "I guess Aunt Paula likes my dad's brother more than mom thought!" Jackie laughed, "Well, I could hear your dad's voice, it sounds like he's almost back to normal."

Eric laughed. "I missed that. I know all of his boot in the ass comments were because his bark is worse than his bite but having been in a similar situation, I think I can understand him a little better than when I was younger."

Jackie threw the covers back and grabbed her nightgown. It was chillier than usual and she was glad Eric was thinking about the central heating system. Jackie jumped in the shower while Eric went down to make coffee.

*

Jackie came down to start breakfast while Eric took his shower. She was cracking eggs in the pan when the phone rang again. "Hello?"

"Jackie honey? It's Kitty. Is Eric around?" Jackie took the pan off the burner and moved to the kitchen table. "No, he's in the shower. Do you want me to get him?"

"No, I actually called this morning to talk to you." Kitty confessed.

"You did?" she asked happily.

"Honey, I was wondering….God, this is so hard to ask…well, Red hates it here. Everyday the temperature is the same except for the nine tropical storms we suffered through. The humidity is ruining my hair and your shampoo is the only thing saving it."

"Mrs. Forman, what are you trying to tell me?"

"Sweetie, can we come home? Red and I can take Laurie's old room or stay in the basement. Honey we miss the changes in the season and the snow. We miss Wisconsin."

Jackie heard Kitty sobbing on the other end of the phone and her heart went out to the woman. "Mrs. Forman, let me talk to Eric and I'll call you right back okay?"

"Okay sweetie, we love you!"

"I love you too." Jackie hung up the phone and wiped eyes. She knew just how it felt to live in a place that you didn't feel comfortable in . The Burkhart household was just like that. She couldn't deny Mrs. Forman the chance to move back especially now that the guest room was completed. In fact, it was almost as if Jackie had decorated it with the Forman's in mind! She had to talk to Eric!

She went back to breaking the eggs and whisked them in the pan. She heard Eric walking barefoot with his cane, no way could he sneak up on her. "I know you're back there. Have some coffee, I gotta talk to you."

"Dang, you're no fun anymore." He teased.

Jackie put a lid on the eggs and walked over to the table. "While you were showering, your mom called back."

Eric looked puzzled. "Is it dad?"

"Don't freak out okay? This is a good thing. Your folks want to move back home. Your mom said they would stay in Laurie's old room. Eric, we can't make them stay in Miami if they're not happy. I know this is your home now, but I love your parents…we have plenty of room."

Eric looked at Jackie and loved her sincerity. How many women in the world would want a potential mother-in-law to live with her? Jackie really did love Kitty and Red Forman and she was giving him permission to bring them home. This was not something Donna would have done or Claire. This was instinctively Jackie's way of proving her love to him.

He got up from the table and kissed her lips. "You are the dearest person in the world to me. Let's start making wedding plans soon okay?"

Jackie's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really? Can I have your dad walk me down the aisle?"

Eric grinned, "Missy, you can have anything you want!"

*

Eric called his mother later that day. Jackie was on the extension listening in. "Mom? I'm going to buy two one way tickets to Kenosha. I want you to pack just the stuff you and dad need. I'll have everything else you need here."

"Honey, what about our stuff here?"

"Uncle Marty can have it shipped. I just want you and dad to get here before it starts snowing."

Kitty started to get excited about the snow. 'Oh honey, you don't know what this means to your father and me!" Eric could hear a vague comment in the background about a foot in the ass if the ticket isn't a non-stop. Jackie muffled a giggle.

"Mom, can you tie up everything with dad's doctors and be ready in a week?" He heard his mom cover the receiver but still she said, "Red Forman! We're going home!"

Jackie smiled at Eric who was truly happy at having his parents come home.

*

Eric left school early that Friday afternoon to pick up his parents at the airport. Jackie was going to meet him there with the van if he dad had difficulty getting into the Explorer. They were holding hand made FORMAN signs at the baggage carousel as the passengers exited the airport.

Kitty looked up and saw Eric first. "Mom!" Jackie smiled at mother and son reunited after ten long months. Jackie saw Red coming up behind with his walker and she went straight to him and gave him a big hug. "I missed you Mr. Forman."

Red looked at Jackie and smiled. "The Loud One. I always liked you best. You'll be good for this family." Jackie pulled the luggage from the carousel and watched as _walker_ dad and _cane bound_ son came together for a long awaited hug.

Eric looked at the walker. "I'll bet that beats the chair!" Red looked at the cane, "I'll bet that beats a broken leg!" They both laughed at their temporary impairments and Kitty hollered for Jackie. "Where is my future daughter-in-law!"

Jackie smiled and sailed into her arms. She missed the motherly feel of Kitty Forman's arms. The two women were in tears by the time the hug ended. Red cleared his throat. "Let's go see how they tore up the house Kitty!" But he winked at Jackie.

*

Eric pulled up to the curb and noticed that his dad was impressed with the car even if he didn't say anything. Jackie helped Red into the passenger seat and loaded their luggage into her van. Kitty "oohed" and "ahhed" about how nice the car was but she was just so happy to be home that a donkey cart would have been acceptable.

Eric pulled in the driveway first and helped his dad out of the car. Red Forman looked around to see the lawn had been trimmed, the gutters were clean and there were no weeds growing in the cracks of the driveway. "How's my garage?"

Eric grinned, "Dad, I've been so busy I never got to it. Might be covered in dust." Red smiled, "Good that gives me something to do." Kitty opened her door and noticed that the patio doors were gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. "Oh Red, it looks like home."

Jackie pulled up with the luggage and Eric hobbled over to open the door getting his dad the walker. Jackie jogged around, "Do you want to see it or just bring in the luggage?"

Kitty was tremendously curious as to what her son done had renovated. Jackie opened the sliding doors; she wanted to see Kitty's reaction to the crisp clean modern kitchen. She pressed her hands to her cheese and exclaimed, "Oh my - Oh my, Red, there's a dishwasher Hahahaha! She saw that the appliances matched and there was fresh plants blooming in the windows. "Oh, this is beautiful, oh Jackie, I love it!" Kitty opened the cupboards and drawers memorizing where everything was - just like when she had it before.

Red nodded his appreciation at Eric. Jackie opened the living room and let Red's walker go through first, followed by Kitty. Jackie held tightly to Eric's hand and she was holding her breath for this big inspection. Kitty turned slowly, taking in everything, the gleaming wood, the leather upholstery, the large television, the ramp to the door, the worn curtains replaced by light pink blinds.

Kitty turned to her son. "This is just beautiful Eric. I feel like I'm in a new house but this was my house. Oh Red, isn't it just the cat's meow?"

Red looked at the floor. "If only that damn Bob Pinciotti hadn't pressured me into buying that ugly orange carpet….we had some nice wood under here." Red noticed a ramp had replaced the double stairs that led to the front door. Jackie explained. "Eric couldn't climb stairs and with the ramp, well, it just made getting around a lot easier for him."

"Well, I can appreciate that." Red smiled. He pointed at the doors that replaced the entrance to his old den. "What is that?"

Kitty turned and noticed the double doors for the first time. "What did you do Eric?"

Jackie was beaming. "Open it." Red's walker rolled easily up the ramp and across the wooden floor. The couple opened the double doors to see the gleaming wood burning stove, the comfortable rocking chairs and then the queen bed with all the other amenities." Jackie came up behind Kitty. "This was the guest room but now it's your room."

Red turned around. "Didn't the dining room used to be here?"

Eric smiled. "Yeah, but no one used it so we upgraded a little."

Red grinned. "Nice work son."

Kitty walked in, almost afraid to touch anything. She noticed the antique pictures above the bed and her grandmothers quilt lying at the foot. "Where ever did you find Grandma Sigurdson's old blanket?" She sat on the bed testing the bounce. Jackie smiled. I found some old stuff in the attic and had the quilt cleaned, it's a beautiful heirloom."

Eric showed his dad where the television was and the extra phone jack. "We can get you a separate phone line." Red really liked what his son did with the two rooms. They _were_ an empty waste of space and Red thought he could really relax in this big room.

"You know Kitty; this has more room than that old villa did." Kitty was crying, "Oh Red, honey, this is just so beautiful. It's still like our old home but newer." She held out her arms for a double hug. "Jackie, Eric…come give your mom a hug."

Eric showed his dad the hall bath and the small changes they made to it. "Jackie used to stick a stool in here for me but the plumbing guy installed a flip down seat in the shower stall so when my leg got tired, I could take the weight off." Red approved of the plumbing changes and especially that the grout had been cleaned.

Jackie told Kitty there were more changes upstairs but would Red be able to climb the stairs? "We just need to stand behind him and make sure he doesn't fall. Oh, look at the wood, you polished it. It just smells so nice in here!"

Eric brought his dad back through the guest room and to that daunting staircase. Red wasn't going to let the flight of stairs stop him from seeing what his son accomplished. He carefully placed the walker on the step above him and drew himself up to the next step. It was painfully slow and reminded Eric of what he went through the first time he climbed to the second floor.

Jackie squeezed Eric's hand. "He's gonna love it!" Red stepped on the landing and smiled. Now this was something he had always wanted to do – strip away the froufrou and give it a good clean coat of paint. Eric showed his dad the smaller bedrooms and Kitty loved the daybeds and the fact that the old dressers were still there. The rooms were full of light and inviting.

"Mom, Jackie and I are getting married, so we kind of took the master bedroom." Kitty smiled, "That's okay, we don't mind a bit. I just want to take a peek at what you did."

Eric opened the door for his mom. She was instantly in love with all the little Jackie Burkhart comfy items: The fluffy pillows, the scents and candles, the soft colors and the big comfortable bed. This was a woman's room that Kitty could identify with.

"I am so pleased with everything you've done here. This is just…it's just perfect." She turned to Red. "They made everything so beautiful Red, I could cry."

"Oh Jeez Kitty, you've been crying since we got here!" he winked at Jackie and put and arm around his wife's waist. "Let's go back down and get comfortable in our new room. The kid's get the upstairs and I get to chase you in the downstairs. "He looked at Eric, "Without the carpeting, I can chase her faster!"

"Oh Red, you devil!"

*

Jackie and Eric brought the Forman luggage to the guest room and Eric made coffee for his dad while Jackie helped Kitty unpack their bags. "Oh honey, I hope we won't be an intrusion for you. I just missed seeing the leaves change color and I wanted a white Christmas so bad. Florida is nice but it's the same all the time and so full of people and expensive! Marty and Paula love the villa but I just missed my home."

Jackie put her arm around Kitty's shoulders. "Well Mrs. Forman, you still have a home but Eric made it nicer."

Kitty sniffed, 'He did. Didn't he? Oh, and don't think I don't see where you helped him along you sly girl!"

Jackie laughed. "I did, I confess but he can be so stubborn sometimes! Oh, I have to check on dinner!"

"Wait, you made dinner too?"

Jackie reddened. "Well, it's in the crock-pot but I can make a good roast!"

*

"Son, you have become quite a good man. You took control and fixed things and showed me that you are a true Forman. I am proud of you. So, now that I've said that, stay out of the garage. That is the only place I can get away from your mother at."

Eric smiled. "It's okay Dad. If you need help out there just let me know."

Jackie came in through the hallway and sat on Eric's lap. "Hey, your mom's stuff is all put away. Can you set the table and I'll make the salad?"

Eric popped a kiss on her lips. "Sure can."

"Aw jeez, stop with the kissing in the kitchen, I have to eat here! Let go see what Kitty did with my socks." Red muttered, but happily so.

*

"Eric, are you asleep yet?"

"Yes Jackie, I'm snoring."

She elbowed him in the ribs. "Smartass - Isn't it kind of cool that your folks are downstairs and we can't hear them?"

"Well, yeah…that means we can have wild sex upstairs." Eric teased in the dark.

"No silly. I mean yes to the sex, but that means they get their own privacy."

"So I can still run around naked?"

"Eric, get real. You don't run around nude."

"Yeah, I know but it doesn't mean I can't!"

"Oh, go to sleep!" she laughed.

*

"Red honey, listen."

"Kitty, I don't hear anything."

"I know….it's perfect. No traffic noises, no helicopters…no Paula and Marty drinking parties. I'm so glad we're home."

"Me too, now snuggle with me so I can get some sleep."

*


	23. Chapter 23 Life Changes

**Author Note: **_Sorry about the chapter 20 mix up – hope I didn't confuse anyone!_

**Chapter 23 – **Life Changes

Kitty woke up early the next morning and padded over to the window. It had lightly snowed the night before and she could barely contain her glee. Why wasn't she freezing? Ahh, she heard the central heat click on. _My clever son…._ She threw a robe around herself and went into the hallway with the intent on making coffee only to find Eric and Jackie already up and making breakfast.

"Wow, I missed a lot or the two of you have really grown up! Hahahaha." Kitty wasn't used to Eric being so self sufficient. "Did I oversleep?"

Jackie turned around. "Coffee Mrs. Forman?"

"Oh god yes sweetie. It's snowing out there!"

Eric grinned, "I know, I salted the walkway to the garage for Dad. He wanted to check it out later."

"Mrs. Forman, I'm going grocery shopping this morning, do you want to come with me? I don't know what you guys like to eat."

Kitty kissed Eric on the head. "You are such a good boy. Oh Jackie, can you take me to the mall? Red and I need some warmer clothes. I didn't pack any."

"I would love to take you shopping!" Jackie squealed. "Eric is not a good clothes shopper."

Eric grinned, "Yeah, but I can shop for groceries!"

*

Red looked in the dusty old garage with a smile in his heart. Nothing had changed. All of his old tools were still here and it smelled like oil. It was good to be home.

*

The next week was a slight period of adjustment. Eric went back to work and Jackie wasn't always at home so Kitty and Red had the house to themselves often. Red was learning his way around and his limitations, but with the modifications Eric had made, such as the seat in the shower and the ramp in the living room, Red felt completely comfortable. Why did he ever let Paula talk them into moving to Florida?

Red smiled. If that move hadn't happened, then Eric would have never stepped in and became the confident man he was today. Red Forman knew that his son would take care of house and home and now he could retire and heal himself.

Kitty found that without the carpeting, the house was less dusty and easier to maintain. Helping Jackie clean house was a breeze so Kitty focused on her baking and learning new hobbies to relax. It was nice to be home.

*

Tyler Kelly, the production manager approached the set. "Jackie, I have great news for you."

Jackie looked up at her former Fancy and Free commercial manager, "I love good news."

Tyler set his schedule down on the table. "We bought into several affiliates and you only have to do this shoot once, and we can broadcast it to all 50 states. That means no more sleeping in your van driving from city to city."

Jackie's face broke into a big smile. "No more road shows? I can stay home for a while?"

Tyler nodded his head. "Since your shampoo was such a hit, I've lined up some celebrities who want to do the headshots for your conditioner."

Jackie was stoked. "Who! Tell me, I gotta know!"

Tyler grinned, "Jaclyn Smith loved your shampoo and she's coming, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathleen Turner and Harrison Ford are the celebrities." Jackie didn't hear the rest of the guests – Harrison Ford was going to let her wash and condition his hair! This was the best day of her life!

"Jackie!" Tyler was snapping his fingers in front of her face. "Snap out of it."

She wiped her sweaty palms down the front of her pants. "Sorry, I guess I got a little star struck there. What were you saying?"

"We also got some male and female models from a local beauty college. This will be an all star commercial."

Jackie had to sit down. Four movie stars _loved_ her shampoo? The same four volunteered to be models for the conditioner? She felt a little woozy. What would she wear? No more road shows? She could finally retire the van and get a real car!

"Oh, and Jackie, you can't tell anyone. The agents expressively forbid advance advertising – the clients are flying in to do the commercial and that's all, no press, no autographs – it's just business."

"Okay. When do I need to be here?"

*

The first thing Jackie did was go to the bank and check on her account. She had let her earnings reinvest themselves and she was never short of cash. Now she was going to buy a new car and that signified that she had arrived! She was engaged, she had a home, her little company with Fez was a success and Harrison Ford was coming to Kenosha!

Red was in the garage when she pulled into the driveway. She bounced out so excited Red thought she was going slip on the ice. He was cleaning his tools as part of his physical therapy.

"Oh Mr. Forman, I have exciting news but I can't tell you." She couldn't sit still. "I want you and Mrs. Forman to come with me."

"Where to Jackie? Why are you so damn excited?"

Jackie was beaming. "I'm buying a new car and I want you to have my van. I know you got rid of the Toyota, but next week after my commercial goes on air, I don't need a van anymore. I get to stay local and I don't have to sleep in it!"

"You were sleeping in your van?"

"Well, it saved money on hotel rooms. I had so many cities to go to, but I don't have to any more! Come with me?"

Red liked the idea of not having to buy a car and Jackie's van was still pretty new. Kitty liked it when they went shopping and there was plenty of room for his walker. "Okay sweetheart. Go get Kitty and tell her to bring my coat."

*

Red liked the van. The door frame had handles that helped him in and out of the driver's seat. Kitty like the captains chairs with arm rests. The heater kept her feet warm and the upholstery was nice and cushiony. Jackie sat in the back and said nothing so Red would feel confident that the van was easy to drive.

Jackie had picked out a Mustang and waited while Red checked it out and gave it his Forman blessing. She kissed the old weathered cheek and told them she would see them at home. The car dealer helped her sign the pink slip over to the Forman's as soon as Jackie handed him a check for the new car. She was giddy with excitement. She had to talk to Fez and Eric!

*

"Red, I didn't want to say anything in front of Jackie, but we could never have afforded this van."

"I know sweetheart, it's a good vehicle and she kept up the maintenance, I'm proud of her for that. Now that we have a car, we can get out and do stuff. I hated Paula's Volvo. This is an American car and dammit, I feel good! Let's go to lunch."

*

Jackie was waiting for Eric to get home. Fez was thrilled about the commercial and wanted to visit the set but Jackie forbid it. She asked him to really push the conditioner during the week and asked him how he was going to spend the money.

"Ahh, me and Teena are going to fly to Hawaii. She needs to tan up a little so we'll play on the beach and eat chocolate macadamia nuts all week long."

"Oh, did I thank you for corrupting my tennis partner?"

"No, but she taught me how to serve. Wait until you play against the Fez, I will squash you."

Jackie laughed, "I'm looking forward to it!"

*

Eric found Jackie upstairs and the Mustang in the driveway. "How are you here and when did dad get a new car."

"Eric put your glasses on."

Eric frowned. "What?"

Jackie climbed off the bed and gave him an old sweater vest. "Put this on over your shirt."

"Hey, this is ugly, what are you doing?"

She gave him a glare. "Just do it." Eric shrugged and pulled the vest over his shirt. Jackie pulled the collar out and waited until he put on his glasses. "Perfect. Now sit on the bed." Eric thought she was going nuts until she tackled him and starting kissing him. "Call me Marion."

"Marion?"

"Oh Indy!" she squealed.

"Oh…_Marion_…." He said as he voice was swallowed in a frenzied kiss. His glasses were ripped off his face and she undressed him faster than he thought humanly possible.

"Marion?"

"Take me Indy….I'm yours…" Well, Eric was a guy and well…..

*

"Harrison Ford. Really? You're going to use your product on Han Solo?"

"No… Indiana Jones! Just imagine if Carrie Fisher was a student, wouldn't you get a little nutty too?"

"Princess Leia - In my classroom? Oh hell yeah! Oh, I see…this is a good thing." He kissed her forehead as she rested against the pillows. "That was some…."

"A quickie. Go ahead and say it. I was going to meet you at school but you weren't there so…."

"We were we going to do it in your new car?"

"Oh yeah." She smiled.

Eric grinned. "That's why I love you so much!"

*

Jackie had the perfect outfit, matching shoes, and she pinned her hair back with rhinestone combs. The makeup lady made her face glow against the set lighting. Everything was perfect. Jackie was a mess. Jaclyn and the girls were in the green room waiting, and Harrison hadn't shown up yet. She was so nervous about meeting him she kept a tissue in her pocket for her sweaty palms.

There was some commotion beyond the set and there he was with his beautiful blue eyes and swaggering walk. He held out his hand to meet the inventor of his favorite shampoo and she fainted.

"Jackie are you okay?" She heard Tyler's concerned voice. Jackie struggled to sit up; Harrison was kneeling by the set manager. "Umm.. just nerves….I'm sorry, I never fainted before."

Harrison helped her stand up. "I'm glad to meet you." Jackie looked at the strong arm at her elbow and felt woozy again. Eric had the same kind of hands! "Me too." She squeaked. "Excuse me!" She ran behind the set and threw up in a trash can. Her head was sweating and she never felt this nervous before. Not even when she was at the top of the cheerleaders pyramid. God, this was terrible!

The makeup woman came back around and gave her a mint. "I fainted once when I met Elvis. It's natural." She quickly fixed Jackie's makeup and told Jackie to take a couple of deep breaths.

Minutes later, the professional shampoo woman stepped in front of the camera's and sold her new conditioner, Recovery, the only organic conditioner on the market.

When it was over, Harrison kissed her cheek and posed for a picture. Jaclyn asked for some bottles to take home with her and posed for a picture. Michelle was stuffing bottles in her bag and autographed some poster board advertising the conditioner. Kathleen signed the board and posed for a picture. Tyler declared the commercial a success and told Jackie he would call her when he had an air date.

Jackie drove home feeling like she was on a cloud. This was her best day ever.

*

It was early November when Jackie got the call. The second Friday on the shopping network on prime time television, her commercial would air. Jackie was sick with worry, what if her conditioner bombed? What if no one called to order? What if everyone saw her making googly eyes at Harrison?

Eric was proud and invited Fez and Teena and the Kelso's over to join the Forman's to watch the premier of Jackie's commercial. So far Jackie had told no one who the extra guests were. Eric only knew about Han Solo.

Michael, Brooke and Betsy were the first to arrive. Kelso gave Kitty a monkey hug and told her how much he missed her. Kitty blushed but loved the attention. She was shocked to see how much Betsy had grown and loved seeing Brooke again.

Jackie waved them into the living room where Eric sat with his dad. Kitty looked at Jackie. "Are you okay honey? I thought you'd be more excited than this."

Jackie was drinking cocoa. "I feel sick to my stomach – what if this is a failure? I mean my shampoo was personal. I went to people and they felt like they knew me, now I'm just selling it to a camera. Can I tell you a secret?"

Kitty sat at the table. She loved secrets. Jackie leaned forward, "Harrison Ford, the actor? He's one of my models and when he shook my hand, I fainted!"

Kitty gasped. "I saw him in the Fugitive earlier this year. He is so handsome!"

Jackie shook her head. "I know! What if I make a fool of myself on TV?" Kitty covered Jackie's small hand. "Don't think that way. You got to be on TV with the most handsome movie star and touch his hair. Do you know how lucky you are?"

Jackie smiled. That was a different way of thinking about it. Yeah, she was lucky, wait until her friends found out who else was in the commercial!

Fez and Teena showed up ten minutes before show time. Kitty had really missed Fez and his shampoo sessions. Red scowled, "At least you're not my son-in-law anymore!" Fez grinned "I missed you too Red!"

Kitty brought in several bowls of popcorn and everyone took seats on the furniture or floor. Jackie sat on Eric's lap as the clock ticked to the beginning of her show.

*

The half hour commercial was a success! Kelso was crazed that one of Charlie's Angel's was there, Fez was jealous that he didn't get to wash Kathleen Turner's naturally blond hair, Brooke loved Michelle Pfeiffer's dress and now Eric understood Jackie's affection for Indiana Jones.

Red was proud and almost felt compelled to purchase some of the conditioner for his thinning hair but realized he lived with the inventor and dismissed the thought. Jackie brought out the celebrity photos and the autographed card. Betsy was excited that her god-mother was on TV and would be forever immortalized in reruns and 35 mm film.

Eric was proud for different reasons. He knew his fiancée worked hard on this project and her celebrity was going to be talked about all over Kenosha. He loved that she made sure her engagement ring got in nearly every shot.

While the living room group was talking and reminiscing, Eric pulled her to the kitchen. "Jackie, I am so proud of you. I was kind of hoping we could play Indy and Marion again tonight…."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'd like that. I was so nervous! I'm still nervous! I'm going to get some antacid. I'll be right back."

Eric went into the living room and announced, "Yeah, that was _my_ fiancée on TV – you can get autographs later but remember, she's going to be a Forman as soon as dad can walk her down the aisle."

Red smiled – his strength was coming back a little each day and he was looking forward to the small wedding. Returning home was the best decision he ever made in his life.

Kitty rounded up the group. "Brooke, you and Michael get Eric's old room and Betsy gets the other. Fez, you just have to go home because you live close anyways. But make sure you come back because I'm making a turkey for Thanksgiving!"

Eric smiled as he heard his mom bossing everyone around. It was just like the old days.

*

Tyler had called on Sunday morning asking Jackie to come down to the studio on Monday for a meeting with some advertisers. She still felt sick and wondered if she was getting an ulcer. She had been so worried about this for weeks. This meeting was going to tell her what her future was. Should she bring up the face cream formula she had used on Eric?

She pulled her navy dress suit out of the closet and found her good pumps. Blue was a power color and she wanted to convey a young confident woman. She wouldn't let some advertisers tell her what to do with her product!

The jacket was a tight fit and she wondered if maybe she shouldn't have tried to wear a camisole and light sweater under it. She opted for the camisole only and a jacket over the top. But then, shoulder pads were going out of style anyways.

*

The meeting was a success as far as the product went. Several CEO's liked her product and wanted to advertise during some upcoming new Christmas shows. Would she be interested in plugging Recover and Fancy and Free on some late night television shows?

Jackie expressed that she would and Tyler suggested she look to losing some weight. "Jackie honey, the camera adds ten pounds and that suit does nothing for you dear."

Jackie drove home, how dare him to call her a fatty! But then she had been taking seconds of Mrs. Forman's great dinners. She could work this weight off by Christmas! Then she could make the appearances and start working on her special cream.

*

Kitty turned around when Jackie slammed the patio door closed. "Jackie honey, what happened?"

Jackie fell into the kitchen chair and tried not to cry. Her suit was tight and Tyler was right, she had gained weight. But she was 32 not 18! She wasn't some young model anymore. "Mrs. Forman, they told me I needed to lose weight – that I was too fat to be on TV."

Kitty smiled sadly. She knew Jackie had some vanity issue but she was a very beautiful woman. She stroked Jackie's dark hair. "Honey, the camera loves you. Every time I see your commercial and the way Harrison is looking at you, it's just obvious that you are a pretty girl."

"I Know!" She cried. "But they way they said it just hurt my feelings." Jackie struggled to get out of the suit coat and popped a button. "God, even my bra feels tight."

Kitty sat down, a smile curling on her lips. "Jackie, when was your last….cycle."

"I don't know. I'm never regular. Why?"

"Can you remember your last one?"

"August - maybe? We were moving my furniture in and Eric and I….oh my, you don't think…"

Kitty nodded. "I'm guessing but yes, those weren't just nerves that have been making you sick…You need to take a trip to the drug store honey."

The thought never occurred to Jackie. She thought she was too old to worry about this…."I'll be right back. Say nothing!"

*

Jackie returned from the drugstore with five different versions of an at home pregnancy test. She waited patiently at the kitchen table with Kitty who was more nervous than Jackie. "Now honey, even if it says positive, you still need a doctor's appointment. Those sticks often show false positives. But sweetie, I would love to be a grandma."

Jackie smiled at her future mother-in-law. "You'd be a good one too." The timer dinged loudly, startling both women. "Shall we check?"

Kitty and Jackie squeezed into the hall bathroom and examined the results. Jackie looked at Kitty in the mirror. "Is it possible to have all five be false positive?"

Kitty was grinning. "No – I'm going to be a grandmother and you're going to be a mommy!" Kitty hugged Jackie and kissed her head. "If we hurry, I can get you into the doctor's office this afternoon just to make sure."

"Shouldn't I tell Eric first?"

Kitty felt possessive of her pending grandchild. "What? And tell him it was a false positive? No! Let's get a firm answer before we tell anybody."

*

Jackie sat there with her legs hanging off the bed, the little paper gown covering her legs. "Wow, three months." She looked at Kitty. "But I had no clue. No morning sickness or any of that stuff that regular woman get. I thought I had an ulcer."

"Jackie, you are having a baby! You're right, Eric should have been here. But, let's get an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow and then you can see the baby and hear the heartbeat."

"But I'm so old. Betsy's thirteen and I'm 32. Will it be normal?"

Kitty loved this girl. "Honey, all pregnancies are risky, there are women who have babies in their 40's! Remember when I thought I was pregnant but it was menopause?" Kitty touched Jackie's belly. "This is going to be a very much loved baby."

Jackie was still trying to figure out how she couldn't tell she was pregnant. "And they said I was fat! I'm pregnant! Ha!" Now she felt vindicated. "Mrs. Forman, I'm so glad you moved back to Point Place."

"Oh honey, me too! If I was in Miami, I would never see my only grandchild!"

"Well, let's not say anything to Eric until tomorrow okay? I mean he can know, but I don't want him to know how far along – he might freak out or something.

Kitty sighed. "He's just going to love you all the more."

*

Eric got home and noticed that Jackie's Mustang was gone. She must still be at that meeting. Eric pulled the roses out of the backseat and the small gift he picked up from the student store. He opened the door to see his dad sitting at the kitchen table looking upset.

"Hey dad, how are you?"

"Those roses better not be for me dumbass."

Eric grinned. "No, they're for Jackie. She had a big meeting with the advertisers today. They want to use her product during some shows next month. This is a bouquet of "congratulations" or "better luck next time"

"Well, you're Jackie and my wife took off somewhere and I'm starving." Eric set the flowers on the bar. "I'll make you a sandwich dad. Do you want a beer?"

"God yes, give me one since your mom's not here."

Eric made his dad a roast beef sandwich and noticed that he was using his left hand more. "Dad, is it just your leg that's weak? Your hand looks stronger." Red looked at his hand and made a fist. "What do you know, it is stronger. I guess working in the garage was better physical therapy than playing with those rubber balls."

Eric set a plate on the table. "Hey, at least you won't set off metal detectors at the airport!"

Red laughed and opened his beer, marveling that he could do that simple task now. "This is good son. Your mom is so happy with her new room and I have to admit I like the wood stove. My dad had one when I was a kid and it always kept my feet warm."

"I'm glad you like it dad. If it hadn't been for Jackie, I just might have sold it, but she made me see all the possibilities it had and I'm glad I listened."

"Well, that makes two of us. Hey, there's the Mustang."

*

"Okay Jackie, he's gonna love you and you're going to be a mom. Think pink and blue! Hahahaha" Kitty reminded her. Jackie smiled and looked through the door. Eric and Red were talking at the table. Red looked up and smiled. Kitty held Jackie's arm.

"Let me go in first and get Red out of the kitchen so you can tell Eric okay? Then come back and give me details okay?"

Jackie nodded her head and entered the kitchen as Red was being ushered into the living room. "Hurry up Red; I know that walker can move faster than that."

Eric got up and took Jackie's hand. "Hey how did it go?"

"Not exactly what I was expecting." She confessed.

Eric grabbed the roses and the gift. "These are for you."

"You got me flowers?" She smelled the roses. How thoughtful he was! "And a present?"

She put the flowers on the table and opened the gift box. Eric grinned, "You kept saying how cold your hands were so I thought…."

"They're lambskin. Oh Eric how sweet! Please sit down; I need to talk to you."

Eric sat at the table and Jackie sat next to him. "First, the meeting was great, their going to plug my conditioner and the shampoo together. I have to hire a manager to make sure I get paid every time a commercial runs and second, what are your plans for next summer vacation?"

Eric shrugged. "Well, this summer was so busy and I couldn't walk…I hadn't really thought about next year. Why do you ask?"

Jackie moved over to sit on his lap. She wanted to be close when she told him. Actually she felt so confused and strange she could cry. "Well, remember that last night on the big bed?"

"Ahh…the kitchen sink…I'll never forget it."

She bent low and whispered, "You're going to be a daddy." Eric froze; did he just hear what he thought he heard? "Say again?"

Jackie leaned back. "I'm pregnant. I checked five times and your mom took me to the doctor. It's real and you have to come with me for the ultrasound tomorrow."

Eric was still in shock. A dad? He was going to be a father? Eric Forman, Superdad!

"Eric, did you hear what I said?"

Eric crushed her to his chest and smiled into her hair. "Yes, I did and we are going to be a family! My own little family."

"Eric, you're squeezing me!" She came up for air. "I feel like I'm in shock like this isn't really happening."

"Me either. How come we didn't know?"

Jackie shrugged, "We've been so busy….I just thought I was worried about the product and had a bad case of the nerves. I didn't get morning sickness or nothing. It was only when they called me fat this morning…"

"Wait, someone call you fat? You want me to kick some ass for you?"

Jackie giggled. "Yes. No! I mean, it's sweet that you would offer. But, come with me tomorrow? Then we can find out all the details?"

"Missy, you couldn't keep me away."

*

**Epilogue**

The Christmas of 1994 was the happiest the Forman household ever enjoyed. Six month old Harrison Reginald Forman was sitting by the Christmas tree playing with Grandpa Red's car keys. Red was 99% recovered and enjoyed getting on the floor playing with his grandson.

Kitty was the proud grandmother toting little Harry around in his car seat in the van as she visited some of her old friends to show off the handsome young heir to the family.

Jackie's miracle face cream was bought by a pharmaceutical company when she showed them a binder full of pictures of Eric's recovery and how the application of her formula faded the scars – Eric was a poster boy for the new product.

Fez married Teena and opened a salon in Oahu for six months of each year. The other six, Jackie managed in Kenosha and every once in a while, a celebrity would come in for a special Jackie wash and set, signing her celebrity autograph board.

Michael finally got promoted and transferred to Kenosha to be closer to his friends and Brooke was expecting her second child with a 14 year gap between the two.

Eric was the most popular professor on campus – his marriage to Jackie was a big blow to Dale Wheat who signed on for night courses in Madison. Eric had a dedicated student teacher who would fill in for him when he had to fly with Jackie to a medical conference. Everyone wanted to see the sad broken man that healed into a hero.

Every night before he went to sleep, he said a pray of thanks for his wife…his son, his folks and the accident that brought them all together.

**The End**

**A/N** – The author was losing it at the end folks. I could have gone on for a few more chapters about the pregnancy, but I've already done one like that. I hope this kept you entertained and that you'll be around for my next story.

Thanks so my dedicated reviewers…you know who you are and thanks to _fat ppl_ for the idea.

Marla


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